The Gang Today Third Season
by Leah1968
Summary: Probably more like The Gang In The Future, but have kept the title the same to avoid confusion. Story continues four years after the second season left off.
1. Chapter 1

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter One

Four Years Later

A Close Call for Lisa's Friend.

'Berry please could you help me with some interviews for the college over the next couple of weeks. Since our first graduate got a major contract with a design house, we've got more applications than ever. And we've really got to make up our minds for the fall soon, its not fair to keep people waiting.'

'Sure, but Lisa I need you to come somewhere with me, a clinic.'

'What for Berry? Your not sick are you?', Lisa gave her friend a concerned look.

'I hope not, its just I've got to go for a HIV test and I don't want to go alone.'

'How come Berry?'

'Why do you think?'

'But Berry you always promised me you were always so careful.'

'I was, most of the time.'

'Then what happened?'

'Lust Lisa. I realised afterwards what a stupid thing I had done and I've been trying to get up the guts to go and get myself tested ever since. Please Lisa, I just don't think I can go through it alone.'

'Oh Berry, of course I will', Lisa hugged her friend and then they both tried to concentrate on going back to the huge pile of college applications that were being invited back for second interviews, but Lisa could tell Berry wasn't really concentrating.

'Okay Berry, lets give it up for today. I can't have you helping decide peoples future while your in this mood.'

'Yeah the future, its suddenly occurring to me that because of my own stupidity my own future may not be as long as I thought.'

'Berry you don't know that, you never know, it might turn out alright.'

'It doesn't stop me being scared that everything won't be alright Lisa.'

'Oh Berry', Lisa hugged her friend again feeling for him 'I know lets go down to Rodeo Drive and see how our new collections are selling. I know that always cheers you up.'

The trouble was when they got there, it didn't cheer Berry up like it usually did, even though he knew sales of his latest evening wear range were better than they had ever been.

'I guess it would be silly of me to say try not to think about it.'

'I can't stop thinking about it Lisa.'

'Then lets go to a clinic that can do it for you right now and get you the results quickly too. It's not like you can't afford it and besides whats the likelihood of a positive result?'

'It was someone famous Lisa, someone that's also famous for having a lot of partners.'

'Come on Berry, we have to get you seen to, now.'

Lisa led him towards the nearest exclusive clinic that could do it and waited with him until it was time for him to go through. When Berry came back out ,he looked white.

'I hate the sight of blood and they took so much.'

'How soon can they get the result?'

'I'm paying to have it sent to the lab straight away. Then I can get the result in the morning. Lisa I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep at all tonight and I'm certainly in no mood for partying.'

'You could take some of those college applications home for me, that will help take your mind off it.'

Later that afternoon after she had been back to her office and got all the papers for Berry Lisa went to pick up both Crystal and Zoe from school on her way home. At six Crystal was now in the first grade and Zoe at five was in the kindergarten class at the same elementary school. Four year olds Travis Morris and Joseph Powers attended the pre-school section of the same school.

At home later when Darren came home from his own office, Lisa was sat thinking about Berry, she barely noticed Sheila give Crystal and Zoe their tea or that Zoe's parents had come to collect her and had been and gone without her noticing.

Darren found Lisa sat on the sofa in their largest lounge staring at Crystal's christening photo with Berry in it.

'Lisa, you okay?'

'Not really Darren.'

'What's wrong? I know something must be wrong, your still wearing the same outfit you went to work in this morning.'

Even Lisa managed to smile when she realised.

'I was just thinking Darren. One day everything can be fine and normal for a person and one day the whole of that life could be threatened, never to be the same again.'

'Lisa, have you been reading philosophy books again?'

'No, I did that once to impress a guy in school, needless to say it didn't work out. At least you always liked me for me.'

It wasn't often Lisa got upset, so despite trying to make a joke and cheer her up, he knew it must be something serious. He sat down next to her then pulled her on to his lap and put his arms tightly round her.

'Come on Lisa, tell me whats wrong.'

'It's Berry. He had to go for a HIV test and he is terrified and so am I. Berry was always there for me in college when no one else was. He was always behind me all the way. I've been sat here trying to imagine life without him around and I can't.'

'But he hasn't got the result yet right?'

'He gets it in the morning. We went to an exclusive clinic in Beverley Hills.'

'Trust Berry to even do medicine in style.'

'Darren, I said I would go with him to get his result. I'm scared. I don't think I can face the fact I might lose a close friend.'

'But Lisa, even if the results bad, it doesn't mean the end for Berry. There's all sorts of treatments these days, patients are leading normal lives and living much longer than they used to.'

'How come you know so much?'

'I watched a programme about it one night when you were at a fashion show in San Francisco.'

'I've got to hold it together for Berry Darren. If I let him know I'm feeling , it will only make it worse for him. He already told me how scared he is.'

'You can be strong for Berry Lisa, I know you can', Darren held his wife closer. He hated seeing her upset.

Lisa dreaded the morning coming and when it did, she knew she had to keep her mind occupied. She told Sheila to take the morning off and got Crystal dressed and ready to take to school herself.

'Crystal, Mummy's going to take you to school today okay.'

'Okay Mummy, I like school. But why can't Zoe be in my class?'

'Because Zoe is a year younger than you Crystal. You won't ever be in the same class, but you are in the same school. Not being in the same class won't stop you being best friends. Anyway if we hurry along, we will probably see Zoe before school starts.'

Jessie always dropped Zoe off at school as it was so close to her office and Lisa and Crystal arrived at the same time. Their two daughters went off to play together in the playground until school went in.

'Jessie, I'm sorry I missed you last night.'

'It's okay. I know how busy life can be at times. Which reminds me, I meant to tell you, Slater is working permanent early shifts now, so he can come and pick Zoe up every day after school so she doesn't need to come back to yours and wait with Sheila anymore. Except of course on days Zoe and Crystal play together after school. And Crystal can start coming to play at ours once we are all moved and settled in as well.'

'Poor Sheila, she's going to be out of a job soon, especially now Travis and Joseph are in pre-school every day.'

Lisa had paid Sheila a salary for daycare for Crystal, Zoe, Travis and Joseph at one time , but as the children had got to pre-school age, her services had been needed less and less.

'Unless of course she wants to take over from our housekeeper that's retiring soon. Maybe I'll talk to her about it. Losing Sheila would be like losing part of the family.'

Lisa didn't tell Jessie anything about what was going on with Berry. She didn't think Berry would appreciate her telling anyone, even her closest friends. She looked at her watch, the children were going in to school and time was getting on, she had to be in Beverley Hills in half an hour.

'So Jessie, will Slater be picking Zoe up after school today?'

'Yes, I've told her teacher to expect him.'

'I'm hoping to pick Crystal up myself today too.'

'Well Lisa, I had better get to the office. I'm currently working on my biggest divorce case since Carly Sampson, though thankfully this client is much more pleasant to deal with.'

Once Lisa had waved goodbye to Jessie she made her way to meet Berry. He was already outside the clinic waiting for her when she got there.

'You ready then Berry?'

'I guess so . I still can't believe I was so stupid Lisa.'

Inside the waiting area, Berry didn't say anything, just pretended to read an article about his own clothing range in one of the fashion magazines.

'I don't know what your reading that for. You know all about those clothes. You designed them.'

'And if it all goes wrong for me, who knows how many more I will get to design now?'

'Berry, your getting things out of proportion, your talking like your doomed already.'

'That's what it feels like Lisa. I can't think about anything else.'

Lisa then noticed Berry's hands were actually shaking with nerves as he held the magazine in his hands. Then finally the doctor called him in and Lisa sat waiting nervously, picking up the magazine article about Berry's latest collection herself.

When Berry re-emerged from the doctors office ,he came over and hugged Lisa straight away.

'Lisa, I don't believe it. I'm going to be okay. The result is negative. What a horrible brush with death that was, we should go out and celebrate.'

'Berry I can't. I've got to get back to those college applications today. I was hoping you would be helping me.'

'I will, over a bottle of champagne to celebrate at the same time.'

'Okay then, I guess that's a fair deal. We better go over and get the rest of the paperwork first though.'

At her graduate college, the students were in awe of Lisa, the millionairess fashion designer. Lisa gave a lecture herself once a week and the auditorium was always full. No one would ever dare cut a lecture being given by Lisa Turtle. After all, they were in this very college because they admired her and aspired to end up with a career just like hers.

Lisa's secretary at the admissions office said she had had six more calls that morning for applicants desperate to get on the postgrad course.

'Oh yes, one of them is an English girl Sheena, she's been at the London College of Fashion. She came all the way here for an interview. I don't want her to have to come all this way for a second interview and besides I'm going to be in London in a couple of weeks, perhaps I can do her second interview then.'

Lisa was looking forward to her next trip to London and Berry would be there too. It wasn't school holiday time, so Darren would be staying home with Crystal. It was going to be the first time she had been alone without either Darren or Crystal for two whole weeks, since Crystal had been born. Since then, at least one of them had always been around.

'I'm sure glad I 'm going to have you for company in London when they show our new collections Berry.'

'I just hope they've picked some young, sexy , male models for my latest collection.'

'Same old Berry, its good to have you back. Just promise me Berry , that you will never risk your life like that again.'

'I promise Lisa', he hugged his friend, that had always been there for him since college as well. 'Thanks for always being there Lisa. I never want to go through that again.'

'Then just make sure you keep your promise.'


	2. Chapter 2

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Two

Moving House

Slater and Jessie had been looking for somewhere new to live for quite some time when Lisa had told them about the six bed roomed house that had just gone up for sale at the end of her own street.

'Don't be silly Lisa, we may be more than comfortable, but we don't have that kind of money for your neighbourhood', Jessie had pointed out, as they were passing the very house on their way to take Crystal and Zoe to school one day.

Jessie hadn't thought anymore about it, until after another six weeks of fruitless searching, she and Slater couldn't find a four bed roomed house with a large backyard they both liked anywhere. It was going to be hard leaving their spacious three bedroom apartment behind, but they wanted a backyard for Zoe to play in now she was growing up and more space for themselves. Jessie did a lot of work from home these days and wanted a home study, Slater wanted his own workout room.

'We got to find somewhere soon or someone will buy this place and we will be homeless', Slater had pointed out one night after another weekend of unsuccessful house viewings.

'Well, there is still that house near Lisa. She points it out to me on the way to school every morning.'

'Jessie, we can't afford a six bed roomed house in that neighbourhood.'

'That's what I keep telling Lisa. But remember I've still got the apartment money from that time I left you sitting in the bank, plus the profit I get as a silent partner in the hotel. I've never touched any of it as we live on the money we earn from our day jobs. Plus, I've even got a bit saved from my years in London before we met again. Maybe it wouldn't do any harm to at least go and look at it.'

'Jessie, you can't spend all your money on a house for us. You know how much of our profits Kevin and I have to put back in to the business. I've got some savings from our profits too, but not nearly enough to cover half of what a hosue that size, in that neighbourhood would cost.'

'Slater, if we like the place and we can afford it using my savings, why not? Besides if I can't spend my money on my family , who can I spend it on? It's just sitting there in the bank doing nothing.'

'I know that Jessie. But I'm your husband. I'm the one supposed to support and house my family.'

'Look Slater, please, just swallow that chauvinistic male pride of yours that occasionally still rears its ugly head. We do live in the twenty-first century .'

'I just knew you were going to say that.'

'Look Slater, you support me every waking minute of my life, you always have. I'd be lost without you, you know that. Surely that's more important than financial support.'

'I guess your right. Besides the more gyms we keep opening and members joining , the more profits we are getting back.'

'Shall we make an appointment to go and see this house then? After all, we've seen more houses than I care to remember already and not found a single one we both liked. And this house is near to the school and my office. I could sell my car, better for us and the environment.'

After work the next day, Zoe having gone home with Lisa to play with Crystal, they had gone to see the house.

'We only re-decorated a few months back, but we are moving to New York', the current owner had explained to them. They both recognised him as a news reader from the television.

The master bedroom was twice the size of their current one and had a full size en-suite with a bath and separate shower and a balcony looking out on to the three acre backyard. Jessie would have bought the place on the bedroom and its view alone.

'Have you got children?', the current owner , they now knew as Mr Gonzalez asked.

'One daughter, Zoe, she's five', Jessie told him proudly.

Then Mr Gonzalez had opened the door to what was obviously currently a young girls bedroom with an adjoining door to what was a playroom attached.

'We originally had seven bedrooms, but we knocked these two in to one. It's my daugther Yvonne's room. She's nine now and when she was a bit older, we thought we would turn the playroom in to study for her. And here is the en-suite, something essential for a girl the older she gets. Yvonne is always dressing up in her Mum's make-up and clothes.'

Jessie had only seen the two main bedrooms and already she wanted to buy the place. She said nothing though, Slater was already giving her warning looks, that said _don't , we can't afford it_.

But then Mr Gonzalez opened a door that sparked Slater's interest a little more.

'This was another of our bedrooms, but as you can see I 've been using it as a workout room. I'm leaving all the equipment behind and going to buy new stuff in New York. It works out cheaper than shipping it all.'

'I always wanted my own workout room at home', Slater admitted, the place was growing on him, as much as he tried not to like it, because of his reservations about the cost, but now the truth was, he had now fallen in love with the place as much as Jessie already had.

'And Mrs Spano-Slater, I know you're a lawyer, who doesn't? Do you have your own study at your current home?'

'No, I usually work on my laptop in the lounge.'

'In this house, we converted this bedroom here in to study for my wife, she's a lawyer too.'

Mr Gonzalez had opened the door of what Jessie could see as being a mini version of her own office.

'Again, we are leaving the desk and chair behind.'

Mr Gonzalez then showed them the two guest bedrooms that were still being used as bedrooms and then the vast lounge and kitchen and breakfast room off of it and then out in to the large backyard.'

'Well Mr and Mrs Spano-Slater, I have some calls to make, but I'll go do that in the garage. Take another look round the house on your own and then I'll show you the garage.'

Slater and Jessie made their way through the house again and back out in to the backyard.

'It's such a modern house. If we buy it, we can live here for the rest of our lives. Can you see us living here forever, growing old together here?'

'I think so Jessie, but we've also got to be realistic. Can we really afford it?'

'Just about and the estate agent is sure we will get over the asking price for our apartment.'

'Okay, lets go for it.'

'Are you sure? I don't want to if your not happy about it.'

'Jessie, I want to live here as much as you do.'

'Then lets do a deal with Mr Gonzalez now and let me get on to the bank to realease my money that's been there doing nothing for way too long.'

That had all happened a couple of months back and the day had finally arrived for them to move to their new home. The young executive couple they had sold their apartment to were anxious to move in to their new home and Mr Gonzalez and his family had left for New York the week before.

Everything was almost loaded in to the removal van and the last thing they did was take down the photo's from the lounge wall and wrapped them carefully. The most recent one had been taken the previous Christmas when the whole gang had spent the holidays at Lisa's house with their children. Slater gave the final box with the photo's to the removal men and went back inside to joine Jessie and Zoe for one last look round.

'It looks so bare now doesn't it, almost like we were never here.'

'But we will always have the memories, the happy and the sad. Come on lets go', Slater led them out of their old apartment for the very last time and they all climbed in to his car. Jessie had sold her car the week before , so they only had the one now.

When they got to their new house Martin and Carol were waiting outside ready to take Zoe to their house for the rest of the day so they could get the new house sorted quicker. Zoe loved spending time with her grandparents and always ran straight to them.

'Come on Zoe, lets leave your Mummy and Daddy to it', Maritn Slater picked his granddaughter up on to his shoulders the way she liked 'Then tomorrow night, you can sleep in your nice new bedroom here.'

When Slater's parents left with Zoe and the removal men had finally gone, Jessie and Slater saw Zack and Kelly pull in to their drive.

'You two are quick, it's a bit soon for visitors. We haven't even started to unpack', Jessie told them.

'That's why we are here. We thought maybe you could use some help. Travis is at my Mum's and Lisa and Screech will be here shortly, Nicola and Darren are both home to watch their respective kids tonight.'

'Thanks Zack, but how can we thank you?'

'Just make sure we all get an invite to your housewarming party.'

'To be honest, we hadn't even thought about having one of those yet', Slater admitted.

'You have too Slater, its tradition.'

'Then I guess we had better start making the house look lived in.'

The gang finished at four in the morning, Jessie placing the framed photo's on their new lounge wall. Then they all collapsed on to the sofa's in the lounge, absolutely exhausted.

'That is the hardest day and nights work I ever did and that includes the Carly Sampson case and having Zoe. I'm glad we aren't planning on ever moving again', said Jessie.

'That's how we felt when we moved to our current house', said Kelly, who could barely keep her eyes open and was falling asleep on Zacks shoulder.

'It'll soon be breakfast time', pointed out Screech who hadn't felt so exhausted since his son Joseph was a baby.'

'And I've got to get a flight to London in ten hours and then I plan to sleep the whole twelve hours of the flight, though that's if Berry lets me, you know how full on he can be twenty-four seven.'

The rest of the gang all laughed at that. They all loved Lisa's friend, but sometimes Berry Dawson was a little too much and they were all glad they weren't going on a long haul flight with him.


	3. Chapter 3

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Three

A Trip To Cal U

When she had started back at college Nicola Powers had taken a lot of extra credit courses, graduated with a first class degree, a distinction in her masters and was now working towards her PHD while working as a teaching assistant herself at USC. There was no prouder people than her daughter and husband. Even at just four, Joseph Powers knew just how fabulous and clever his Mum was, probably because Screech told him every day.

That weekend Nicola and Screech were off up to Cal U to visit Paul, to watch him in a squash match against Stanford's best player that was already on the pro-circuit. Paul, as a senior and captain of the squash league at Cal U was well known around the campus. Paul was in the most sought after fraternity, lived in one of the best rooms in the frat house and seemed to have a different girlfriend every time Screech and Nicola visited. Though, back when he was a freshman, Paul had ended up living in the same dorm his Father had once lived in.

It was back on the day that Nicola and Screech had first dropped Paul off as a freshman that Screech met Mike Rogers again. Screech remembered it like it was yesterday.

'Mike Rogers, your not still in college?'

'Kind of, I never really left since you were here when I was doing my masters. When I got my psychology PHD, I became a professor. What brings you back here anyway, Samuel 'Screech' Powers?'

'We've just dropped my son Paul off, he's a freshman', Screech had explained.

'Now, that does make me feel old.'

Paul had done some psychology courses as part of his degree, even though his major was sports science. He had thought it would come in handy if he was going to pursue a career in that field and work with all kinds of people. Therefore, during his sophomore and junior years Mike had been one of Paul's professors. And Mike, as a sports fan and ex-pro football player always liked to support the colleges sportsmen and women.

So that weekend when Screech and Nicola arrived to watch Paul play in his biggest squash match to date, they weren't surprised to see Mike or at the fact he had saved them a seat at the front, with a fantastic view of the squash court through the glass, just like he always did.

'Hey there Screech', even his old RA couldn't get out of the habit of using his old nickname, even now. 'It is okay me still calling you that isn't it?'

'If it wasn't Mike, I would have told you by now. All my old friends still call me that and it does make me feel youthful still.'

'I guess Paul was lucky not to acquire a daft nickname.'

'Paul is way cooler than I ever was.'

'He must have inherited that from his Mother, like his raquet skills.'

The players appeared then and went in to the squash court. Paul looked nervous, but then he was playing someone that had never been defeated on the college circuit and already had a bronze medal from the world championships.

The undefeated senior from Stanford won as predicted, but it had actually been a very close match and Paul had certainly got him frightened he might lose at some point. Paul's coach said it was his best match ever and all Paul's friends went down to congratulate him when he came back out of the court. His parents and Mike could hardly get near him.

'I think you really scared that guy in to thinking he might just lose', Mike told him when they finally managed to reach him.

'I'm so proud of you Paul', Screech hugged his son 'And I know your Mum would be too.'

'Thanks Dad, that means a lot to me. My friends want to throw me an almost victory party, do you mind?'

'Of course not Paul, you guys go and have a good time.'

Screech and Nicola ended up back at Mike's apartment, Mike making Nicola laugh with the things he remembered Screech getting up to as a freshman in his dorm.

'So Nicola, hows your daughter doing at UCLA? She's a senior too isn't she?'

'That's right Mike. She's a computer science major. I think she has decided she wants to teach high school kids. I guess that's Sam's influence.'

'It was my wife Judith that inspired me to carry on and become a professor. It's certainly not something I ever thought I would be doing back when I was on the 49'ers. You know Screech we should have a bit of a dorm reunion one day.'

'That's a good idea Mike. I was only talking the other day about how we all promised to stay in touch with Alex and Lesley after our ten year reunion and we never did. I haven't a clue what they are up to now, or even where they are.'

'They must both have profiles on the alumni site, do you ever go on there?'

'Well, I do have a profile, but I never really have the chance to go on there. I've got a high school of five hundred kids whose education I'm responsible for, a wife in post grad school, a son in college, a stepdaughter in college, a son in pre-school, plus a robot to take care of.'

'Yes, Paul has told me all about the adventures of Kevin over the years.'

'Well, its Josie that's in love with Kevin. Her boyfriend doesn't get a look in when she brings him home. I'm sure Kevin is the attraction of her staying living at home and not living on campus. That and not having to pay any rent of course. Though she does work in the campus library three nights a week.'

The next morning before they met for lunch with Paul and Mike Screech and Nicola went over the Golden Gate bridge and enjoyed a morning by themselves in San Francisco. They both loved the city and neither of them had visited for a while.

When they got to what was Paul's favourite restaurant back in Berkeley Mike and his wife Judith, a literature professor at Cal U and Paul were already sat at the table waiting for them.

'Nicola, I was just thinking , we have been away for a day and a half now. That's enough time for Mum and Dad to have taught Joseph all the words to yet another Elvis song.'

'I wonder what one its going to be this time', Nicola was curious. 'After all, he already knows all the words to _Love Me Tender_ and _Suspiscious Minds_, that's quite an achievement for a kid his age.'

'Screech , you have just reminded me. I was having a clearout the other day and I found something of yours. I've brought it with me to return to you, I think I've held on to it for long enough.'

Mike then handed Screech an old cassette tape.

'I don't believe it. My chimps after dark tape. I'd forgotten all about that. It's a shame I don't have an old fashioned cassette player to play it on.'

'I wouldn't say it's a shame at all Screech. I'd say it was a blessing in disguise, especially for Nicola here. Trust me Nicola, how he found that annoying noise relaxing, I will never know.'

'I'm almost sure my parents have an old fashioned cassette player in their garage. Maybe I'll give it a whirl for old times sake when we get back to LA.'

'Screech, your not really going to put your wife through that tape are you?'

'Of course not. I was just kidding. I can't believe I used to sleep to that stuff either. But then of course, I didn't have Nicola in those days', Screech put his arm round his wife as they waited for their coffee's to arrive.

'Sometimes guys, I have to admit, I do miss being an RA over at the dorm. It was fun, the kids made me feel young and alive, in a different way to how it is when your teaching them.'

'One of my professors at USC is due to retire when I finish my PHD and already keeps telling me I should go for his job. I'm not sure though, I still haven't really decieded what I want to do career wise for the next twenty-five years or so.'

'But Nicola, you've already had an amazing career, all the places you've been in the world.'

'But Mike, like being a footballer, flying wasn't half as glamorous as it sounds. Sure I saw some beautiful places, but I mostly saw a lot of airports and trust me some of those airports I never want to see again.'

'Well, Mum, Sam, while we are on the subject of careers, I think its time to tell you my good news. I've been offered a job when I graduate, on a well known gym chains graduate scheme, so hopefully I'll be managing my own gym in a few years. Sampsons certainly has enough gyms throughout the states and the world for me to take charge of one of them somewhere. It means when I'll graduate, I'm just going to be living in San Francisco and I'll start work in one of the Sampson's gyms there the week after I graduate.'

Screech had to drive back to LA later, but he was so proud of his son, he ordered champagne or everyone else to celebrate with.

'I'm so pleased for you Paul. It's not easy to find a job in the field you want straight away. You've been really lucky.'

'I know, but I was determind . I started looking as soon as I was told I would never be in the pro squash leagues and that I wasn't going to have a star studded career like my Mum had. But I've enjoyed playing squash in college and I'll always continue to play for leisure. I still love the game.'

Finally back in LA late that evening Nicola and Screech picked up a sleepy Joseph from Screech's parents house.

'Okay Mum, tell me now, what song have you and Dad been teaching him this time?'

'Jailhouse rock', Mrs Powers admitted 'We've been singing and dancing all around the house to it.'

Screech and Nicola looked at each other as if to say_ I'll toss you for who drives him to school in the morning._ But then Nicola remembered, it couldn't be her.

'Oh Sam, I've just thought, I have to assist a lecture at eight in the morning. I'm going to be leaving for school early.'

'It's okay Nicola. I was brought up on all those songs myself. I'm sure I can cope with my son singing them on the way to school, out of tune and badly, kind of like my parents did to me when they took me to school.'

'Oh Sam, I love you and I'm so glad we've got two sports mad kids, otherwise we may never have met.'

They put Joseph to bed and then Nicola got her papers ready for the morning. Nicola smiled to herself, if anyone had told her a few years back she would be back in school at her age and studying for a PHD, she would have laughed in their faces. But she was so glad things had turned out the way they had.


	4. Chapter 4

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Four

A Call To The Malibu Sands Beach Club

On the night Leon Carousi died, Kelly found herself once again back at the Malibu Sands Beach Club. Stacey had called for a doctor because her Father had said he hadn't been feeling well, but the time Kelly had arrived he had already died in his sleep.

Stacey understandably had been devastated. Her Father had had two heart attacks in the previous year. His doctors had told him time and time again to slow down and take up gentle exercise, but he hadn't listened and now it had taken its toll and his body had finally given up.

Kelly had stayed with Stacey a while after they came to take Leon Carousi's body away, certainly much longer than she would have felt obliged to if it had been someone that was virtually a stranger to her.

'Is your husband not around for you tonight?', Kelly asked. Stacey had remarried three years earlier and had a two year old daughter from the marriage. Kelly remembered reading the wedding announcement in the local paper with Zack.

'No Kelly, Karl and I split up four months ago. He turned out to be another rotter. I sure do pick 'em. Dad told me not to marry him, but of course I wouldn't listen.'

'Is he not nearby for Fiona though', Kelly remembered reading the birth announcement in the local paper with Zack as well.

'No he went off back to Tenessee to live. He cares just as little about his daughter as he does about me. One thing I never eve wanted to be, or saw myself as being was a single parent. And now, I haven't even got my Father anymore.'

Tears began to fall down Stacey's face. Then she took another swig from the best and most expensive brandy they served in the club.

'Look Stacey, I know things were awkward for you the last time we met. But we are here for you okay.'

'How can that be Kelly? Lets not pretend we are friends or anything. We both know that's not true.'

'Okay, but maybe we could be. I know things aren't going to be easy for you with your Father gone.'

'And what would you know about that? I know both your parents are still alive. And what would you know about being alone? Your from a big family and you've had your husband right by you from day one.'

'Don't tell me your still thinking about Zack after all this time?'

'Not as in us as a couple, no, that was all a long time ago. But I can't help being envious of what the two of you have, the kind of family life I always wanted. That's why we can't ever be friends Kelly. Thanks for trying to help, but really I'll be far better off without you or any of your friends interfering.'

'I'm not trying to interfere Stacey, its just………'

'Save it Kelly.'

'But don't you want us to come to your Father's funeral.'

'No, why should you even want to? What was he to you? Nothing. He was just your boss one summer when you were a high school kid.'

'But what am I supposed to tell everyone? They will want to come and support you.'

'Tell them what you like. I just don't want to see any of you and your perfect lives. I really am too envious of you all Kelly.'

'I'll go then Stacey, but honestly I am sorry about your Father.'

'Thanks but I'll be okay, I'll survive, I always have. Did you not say you were going now Kelly?'

'Okay, but Stacey, we are thinking of you.'

'You just don't know when to give up do you, just go Dr Morris, please.'

Kelly left then, as she realised she was not going to get through to Stacey and that Stacey was not going to let her be a friend. On the drive home, she thought a lot about Stacey and couldn't help feeling sorry for her. Stacey, whom as a teenager had been such a strong powerful figure to all her friends. But as an adult , Stacey appeared to have totally lost her way and have absolutely no direction in life.

When Kelly did get home, after picking Travis up from her parents,whose house was always overrun with grandchildren from teens to toddlers, Kelly sat down thinking about what Stacey had said to her.

Stacey had made it clear she didn't want to see any of them at her Father's funeral and made it obvious just how envious she was of she and Zack's lifestyle. And she didn't know why, but she also had a strong suspiscion that if she told Zack about Leon Carousi's death, he would want to go and see Stacey as a friend. And that was something Kelly didn't want to happen, not that she thought Zack would throw away over twenty years of marriage anymore than she would, but somewhere, deep down, there was just a small part of her that didn't trust Stacey Carousi and in all honesty, she never had done really.

Zack was at Bayside late that evening as they were holding a parents evening, so she didn't actually have to tell him Leon Carousi had died at all. He didn't have to know. Okay, he would find out through the local obituaries in a couple of days, but he need never know she had been the doctor called out to the club that night. He need never know about the conversation she had had with the grief stricken Stacey.

Kelly forgot about it all while she read Travis a story, bribing him to go to bed, with a promise he could stay up an hour later at the weekend. They had never had any trouble getting Sophie or Ben to go to bed at night, but then Travis was already so like Zack in every way, it was no surprise to them. Melanie Morris said it was just like looking after Zack as a young child all over again whenever he was at his grandparents.

Two stories later, Travis was finally asleep and Kelly went back and fixed herself a snack and coffee while waiting for Zack to arrive home. When he did, it was gone ten and he looked worn out.

'You would not believe some of the parents I've met tonight. Some just don't want to accept their kids are failing and need extra help, others are upset because their kids are above average because their siblings are only average and it might upset them. How was your on call this evening? Any excitement?'

'Well technically, I'm still on call for another hour until the night locum takes over. I've had a really quiet night so far though. I've just been sat here watching the television. I haven't been called out once', Kelly lied.

'Lets hope it stays that way', Zack sat down on the sofa next to Kelly and pulled her close 'I feel like I've hardly seen you this past week. Did Travis go to bed okay tonight?'

'Don't be silly, he never does, you know that. I had to bribe him with staying up later at the weekend again. I've missed you this week', Kelly kissed her husband.

'What was that for?'

'Because Zack Morris, I love you, I always have and I always will.'

The next morning Sophie arrived home from Stanford for a long weekend and found her parents sat at the table eating breakfast together with Travis. Being away at college, she did miss family life like this. It was what she had always known and being away at college had been strange and lonely at first.

'Hi Sophie, we weren't expecting you this early at all.'

'I know, but I haven't any classes today, so I drove through the night. I just couldn't wait to see you all. It's ages since I managed to get home for a weekend. And before you nag me, I'll get some sleep when you guys have gone to work and Travis has gone to school.'

Sophie poured herself a bowl of cereal and coffee and sat down to join them.

'So where is Brandon? Did he not want to come with you?'

Brandon was Sophie's boyrfirend and also a senior at Stanford. They had been together for two years and Kelly found it strange it was the first time she had visited without him in a long time, unless of course they had split up.

'No he is going home to Indiana to see his parents for the weekend. You see, Brandon and I , we are going to get married after we graduate in the summer.'

'What?', a shocked Kelly nearly choked on her cereal.

'Don't be ridiculous Sophie, your still only nineteen', said Zack.

'And I bet that was exactly what Gran and Grandad said to you. Because if I'm not mistaken, my parents got married as nineteen year old college freshman. At least I'll have actually graduated.'

Zack then realised Sophie was right, what he had just said to her, was almost exactly the same thing his parents had once told him, especially his Father who had only come round to the idea of his marrying Kelly at the last minute.

'I'm sorry Sophie. It's just your always going to be my little girl, even though you're a grown woman now. There's something else my Mum told me just before I got married too, I think she still sees me as her little boy even now.'

'Dad, I love Brandon. He wanted us to get married last year but I told him I wanted to wait until we graduated this summer. Then we will get married and both go to grad school as planned. I'm still staying on at Standford for law school and so is Brandon, I was hoping you would be pleased for us.'

'We are Sophie, honest', said Kelly. 'Your our only daughter, our eldest child and we just want you to be happy.'

'I know you do and Brandon makes me happy.'

'Then I guess we had better help you start planning your wedding', Zack told her.

Zack was finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that the tiny daughter he had once cradled in his arms was now all grown up and about to get married herself.

'Now , I know how my parents felt when we sprang it on them about our wedding', Zack told Kelly as he left the house to drop Travis off at school and then get to Bayside for a days teaching himself.

When Zack was walking through the halls at Bayside a little later, he overheard a conversation that put Sophie's wedding right to the back of his mind.

'Yeah, so like my parents turned up at the Malibu Sands Beach Club last night for dinner with Mr Carousi, they are on very friendly terms with him, well they were, when they got there, they were told he had just died. His daughter that helps him run the place was apparently really upset. And guess what, you know Mr Morris, you know his wife's a doctor, you must have seen her, she sometimes helps them chaperone dances here, well she was just leaving the club when my parents arrived and confirmed that Mr Carousi had just died.'

Not only shocked at what he was hearing, but also shocked that Kelly had lied to him, he made a call to the reception at Malibu Sands, just to check that Chantelle Williams, the school gossip, with extremely rich parents that were members at Malibu Sands, had got the story correct. She had.

After Zack put his phone away and headed to his classroom to take homeroom and then a study hall, all he could think about was why Kelly had lied to him. He had made another call to the club and asked if Dr Morris had been called their the previous evening in a roundabout why and eventually managed to extract the information from the staff. What the hell was going on with Kelly? They had always spoken to each other about their working days. He was so glad this first period he only had a study hall to supervise. He told the kids to get on with any reading they had to do in silence. Then he spent the rest of the period thinking about Leon Carousi's death and why Kelly had lied about being called out to the club. It just didn't make any sense, not now, it was years since their disastrous reunion dinner with the Carousi's and more so long forgotten about. Bue somehow, there had to be an explanation.


	5. Chapter 5

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Five

Odd Decisions

Lisa had always loved her trips to the South West coast of England, but it was Berry that was the one looking to buy himself a holiday home here on the North Devon coast. It was only spring time and the water must still be freezing, but it didn't seem to bother the surfers round here, they seemed to hit the waves whatever the time of year.

'Hey Lisa, I was just talking to one of those surfer guys and he said if the waves are right, the surfers will be out. Tonight though, I have a date with him.'

'Berry, your impossible. We took three days out from London so you could find yourself a holiday cottage here.'

'Forget the holiday home Lisa, I've decided I'm staying, forgood.'

'Don't be silly Berry, what about your life back in LA? You can't live here in this tiny village, there's not a decent nightclub for twenty miles and the only fashions the locals appear to be interested in is surfing gear. It is a lovely place for a holiday, but to live, Berry you would be bored in a day. It's not you Berry, you've always liked the action twenty-four seven.'

'Once Lisa, yes, in fact I admit until very recently that was exactly it, but not anymore. I think I'm finally bored of partying all over the world. And I may not have met Mr Right to settle down with, but I know I am ready for a more settled life.'

'Can't you have a more settled life back home?'

'In crazy LA, where everyone knows who I am and theres always a party to go to. No Lisa, I've decided I want to live here, away from all that, its perfect.'

'But what about your work?'

'That's the other thing Lisa, I've also decided I'm retiring from the fashion world. I've got enough money and more to last forever and beyond. I haven't lavished it all away on partying you know, when your Berry Dawson, most of the parties come free, you know that yourself.'

'But you love the fashion world as much as I do. Your miss it .'

'No Lisa I won't. You see when we did the last show before we came down here, for the first time ever, I don't mind admitting, I was bored. I found my mind wandering. And even worse I realised I didn't care what anyone thought of my latest collection either. But whatever they did think of it, it will go down in living history as the last collection I ever designed. I'm going in to early retirement. Come on, come and help me find a nice house I can live in here for the rest of my life.'

'Berry, you do realise I've got to catch the train back to London in three hours and then I've got to meet Darren and Crystal off the plane at Heathrow.'

Later on, worn out back at the hotel, after touring all the houses for sale in the village with Berry, Lisa packed her stuff to get back to London, while Berry organised to keep his room in the hotel indefinitely.

'So how did Darren wangle it so Crystal could miss a few days of school?'

'He asked them to set her homework on the work she would be missing this week and she had to hand it in before they left. I often tell Crystal about London and we have been promising her a visit here for ages. I mean she has been to London before with us, but she was way too young to even remember it. Not only that Berry, I really miss them when I'm away from them.'

After a rotten delayed train journey from Devon back to London, Lisa finally climbed on to yet another train, this time the express shuttle from Paddington to Heathrow and once again found herself waiting in an airport. It brought back a lot of memories of their days as a commuter couple.

Darren and Crystal were among the first through the arrivals hall from the flight.

'It's so good to see you, well Crystal, welcome to London. This is Heathrow, otherwise known as the worlds busiest airport.'

'Are we taking the train back to London or getting a cab?'

'Neither Darren. I caught the train here and I had a rotten train journey up from Devon, so I have organised a limo to take us back in to the city. Crystal can look out of the window and take in the city for the first time , if she's not too tired from the flight that is.'

'You must be joking Lisa. I'm the one tired from the flight, she was asleep as soon as we were airborne and I had to wake her up for landing.'

'That's my girl, she takes after me I always did like my sleep,still do. Well Crystal, you are about to see London by night now.'

As they approached the centre of the city, Crystal seemed to be looking at all the lit up buildings curiously.

'Mummy, all the buildings are so short.'

'I know they are compared to the ones your used to seeing back home. But a lot of these buildings have a lot of history and that's what makes this city unique. We will take you to some of the places we've been telling you about over the next few days. You kept telling us you wanted to come to London because we talked about it so much, so here we are.'

Back at the hotel, Crystal was way too excited to sleep and stayed up reading the tourist guide in her room in the suite and kept asking Lisa and Darren when she came across words she didn't understand.

'I want to go to the whispering gallery at St. Paul 's cathedral', she told them before she finally went to sleep.

'That's hardly a surprise for someone that likes to talk so much.'

'Like Mother, like daughter',Darren joked with the old cliched phrase that was so true of his wife and daughter as they finally collapsed in to bed.

'It will be nice to actually do the tourist thing for a change. I'm usually so busy with work when I am here. The last time I was really able to relax here was Jessie and Slater's wedding and that seems like such a long time ago now.'

'I remember it so well, everyone trying to figure out if we were an item or not.'

'Yes and I think they all guessed right don't you?'

'I'll say, it's a shame they couldn't have come to join us here for these few days and Crystal would have loved to have Zoe here as well.'

'I know, but Jessie has a ton of cases scheduled this week and Kevin is off away in Vegas with his latest girlfriend so Slater has had to go and sort out a few problems at one of the San Diego gyms as well as the usual day to day running. They do plan to come to London again sometime with though, Zoe goes on about it as much as Crystal has been.'

'So what about Berry? You think he really will stay down in Devon?'

'I give him three months and that's being generous and then he will be back home faster than you can say fashion design. And I'll say something else, I don't believe he is retired for a minute and neither will I until he makes some sort of official statement.'

Lisa had just gone to sleep when her phone started ringing and she picked it up.

'Jessie, you do know it's the middle of the night here.'

'Yes, but Lisa, listen, Zack's gone missing. Kelly said he didn't come home from school today and his cell is switched off.'

'That doesn't sound like Zack at all. I wonder whats going on.'

'We all do, Kelly is worried sick. Sophie insists she isn't going back to Stanford until they hear from him and Travis keeps asking when his Dad is coming home. I've only just got off the phone with Kelly now.'

'I wish there was something I could do to help Jessie.'

'We all do, we are all worried. It's just not like Zack. And after school Screech just drove off as normal and said he would see him after the weekend. Kelly said at first she thought it may have been an accident, but then she realised she would have heard by now if it was that.'

'Why do things always happen to my friends when I'm on the other side of the Atlantic?', Lisa was frustrated that there was nothing she could do as she put the phone down.

Over the next couple of days Lisa did her best to have a good time doing all the tourist things with Crystal and Darren. But she couldn't get Zack, who was still missing , out of her mind. As Crystal was fascinated by the crown jewels in the Tower Of London, she thought of Zack, as Crystal was introduced to the whispering gallery in 's cathedral, she kept wishing someone would ring and say they had heard from him. As they took Crystal on the London Eye, she thought of Zack even more and the last time they had all been here together.

They finished off their last full day in London with a trip to the famous toy store on Regent Street, somewhere they knew they would have trouble getting Crystal to leave. They said she could have a new toy as a treat, but she couldn't decide which one she liked the best. She was still deciding when Lisa's cell rang and it was a number she didn't recognise.

'Hi, Lisa', but she recognised the voice immediately and relief washed over her.

'Zack, where the hell are you? Everyone is worried sick about you.'

'I'm in Euston station. The London flight was full when I decided to go to LAX, but they did have a seat available on the Manchester flight, so I took that and then a train here to London.'

'You mean you just bought a ticket and got on a long haul flight without even telling anyone where you were going?'

'Yes Lisa I did. I couldn't think straight all day in school last Friday. I always keep my passport on me for ID anyway, so after a couple of nights in a motel, I headed for the airport. I wanted to come somewhere I had been before and was comfortable with so I asked for the first available seat on a flight to the UK.'

'Zack, I'm not far from where you. We are only down in Regent Street, do you want us to come and meet you?'

'Yes, I'm in one of the coffee shops just outside the station.'

'Okay, it looks like Crystal is tired, so I'll pack her and Darren back off to the hotel and I'll see you shortly.'

When Lisa arrived at the coffee shop, Zack was on his third expresso and one of the only customers left.

'Look Zack, I think these people want to close up for the day now all the commuter business has gone home. Why don't we move on to a pub? I know a great one that opens until the early hours and they do serve rather nice strong coffee.'

'Okay.'

'Zack, you seem very dazed. Have you even called Kelly and told her where you are? You know Sophie has said she isn't going back to Stanford until she hears from you.'

'I'll text Sophie with thie SIM card then. I bought it at the airport when I got here. I can't have my daughter mucking up her education at such a crucial time.'

'And what about Kelly? She is distraught.'

'Well, that's her fault.'

'What do you mean Zack?'

'Kelly lied to me, only she doesn't realise I know that she lied to me. For more than twenty years I've always thought we had one of the best marriages, even our friends all thought so. I thought we could always trust each other. How wrong I was, Kelly quite clearly doesn't trust me at all.'

Lisa thought her old friend was about to break down, so went and ordered him another drink She had a feeling it was going to be another long night.


	6. Chapter 6

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Six

Another Crisis

When Jessie had phoned Slater to tell him about Zack's disappearing act and the fact that he had showed up in London, Slater had been dealing with a crisis of his own at one of their San Diego gyms and even worse he still hadn't been able to get hold of Kevin in Vegas, so he was left to deal with it all alone.

Slater had just sorted a minor staffing problem out at one of their gyms in the city when he got a call about another one. It was one of their corporate gyms this one concerned and this one would have long closed for the evening. But now he had been told the whole building was on fire. The time he arrived from the other side of the city ,the fire brigade had the fire under control, but he still stood there and watched until every last flame was put out.

'I don't understand, this gym would have closed three hours ago.'

'I'm afraid Mr Slater that we already suspect an arson attack.'

'Arson. Why would anyone want to set fire to a gym?'

'That's what we need to find out, if it was a specific attack or just another random building an arsonist took a fancy too.'

Slater couldn't believe the way this week was turning out. He had planned to be home by Saturday lunchtime so he could spend the rest of the weekend with Jessie and Zoe as planned. But now it was Saturday evening already, the weekend was half gone, one of the gyms was burnt to a cinder and his best friend had gone AWOL from his life. He was annoyed he still hadn't been able to contact Kevin. Kevin seemed to leave every aspect of the business to him more and more these days and as much as Slater loved what he did, it had started to irritate him. And not only that, the way Kevin had carried on over the years and still did, he wouldn't be surprised it it was one of Kevin's ex-girlfriends that had set fire to the gym. After all, Kevin didn't just have a gym in every state, he practically had a girl in every state and beyond too.

Eventually Slater drove home on the Sunday morning and got home just in time to find Jessie and Zoe about to leave for lunch at his parents house.

'I'm glad your home. I'm sorry about what happened at the gym.'

'It's okay, I'll deal with all the insurance paperwork and everything back in the office in the morning. Just don't tell my Dad what happened okay.'

'Why on earth not?'

'Come on Jessie, you know what he's like. He will only go on about how something like this wouldn't have happened if I had gone in to the army/'

'No, worse could have happened, like getting yourself killed. I'm sorry Slater, I wasn't thinking just then. I know its Janine's anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks.'

'It's okay. Anyway everything just seems to keep happening at once at the moment. Has anyone heard anymore from Zack by the way? I did try calling his cell, but it was switched off.'

'Yes, I found out a bit more from Lisa. He is going to stay on in London until the end of the week and then he says he will come home, but if he means home to Kelly, I don't know. From what I can gather he and Kelly had some kind of row, though I don't know the whole story. No doubt he and Kelly will sort things out when he does come home. Screech isn't too happy with him either because of having to cover his classes at short notice at school.'

When they arrived at Slater's parents house both Jessie and Slater were surprised to see Dan Taylor sat down with his parents.

'Hello Dan. I didn't know you knew my parents. Dan is a member of our LAX gym.'

'Actually we didn't know Dan until last night when he called us.'

'Dan , I don't mean to be rude, but why were you calling my parents?'

'Because as you know I like to make movies that are serious drama, but also based on true life stories. I want to make a movie about the life of your late sister, Janine Slater. Your parents invited me here to discuss it with you all over lunch. Of course if you all decide you don't want me to go ahead with this project, I'll respect that decision and find something else to do. But I promise you , if you give me the go ahead, I'll make it as exact as possible. I'll want to spend time with you all researching Janine.'

It was a long lunch and they all took turns to play with Zoe while Dan talked about the possible movie project with everyone else.

'Do you have a serious actress in mind to play Janine?'

'Yes, in fact I do, Cynthia Larson.'

'The bimbo, are you joking', Martin Slater was outraged at the idea.

'Actually Martin, Cynthia is an old friend of mine and she isn't a bimbo really. The reason you haven't seen her on the big screen the past couple of years is she has been making a name for herself in the theatre. She has actually done a lot of Shakespeare stuff.'

'Cynthia Larson, no way', Martin Slater was still unable to believe it.

'It's true. Cynthia is an Oxford graduate and got heavily involved in acting and the theatre as an undergraduate. It was her agent that manufactured her bimbo image. That's why she has spent recent years in the theatre, she is trying to leave that old bimbo image behind', Jessie spoke proudly of her long time friend.

'Well I never. I guess in that case I can't think of anyone better to portray my late Daughter. But isn't Cynthia little old? Janine was only in her early thirties when she died.'

'Not at all. Cynthia looks as young today as she did twenty years ago. Of course, we will probably start the movie from her teen years, so we will get a teenager to play the younger Janine.'

Dan carried on talking enthusiastically with Martin and Carol and Jessie joined Slater playing with Zoe on the floor.

'I thought you would have had a lot more to say to Dan, Slater.'

'There isn't much to say really is there. Unlike Mum and Dad, I don't want my late Sister's life exploited.'

'Why don't you look at as raising awareness? Don't you want the world to see just what an amazing woman she was? After all , that's what you always tell Zoe about her Aunty that she never knew.'

'I guess your right. I'm just having a tough time getting my head round the whole thing, especially with the anniversary coming up and what happened in San Diego last night, never mind my best friends disappearing act.'

They spent the rest of the afternoon letting Zoe win at dominoes, mostly because they had other things on their mind and really couldn't be bothered to get competitive. It was gone six when Dan Taylor finally left with lots of information about Janine the Slater family had given him.

'You didn't give him the postcard did you?',Slater asked his Dad.

'No son, of course I didn't , but I did show it to him.'

The postcard Slater had mentioned was special to all of them. It had come from Kabul from the eldest daughter of the family Janine had helped save. It was in perfect English as the girl explained how her Mother had told them all about Janine's part in rescuing them and then how they had gone on to a new life with relatives in the city. It was a big thank-you actually addressed to Janine from the whole family. It had been sent to the charity Janine had worked for voluntarily, who had then sent it on to the Slater family. The day after it had arrived Slater had taken it to Janine's grave to show her. To others it may have seemed an odd thing to do, but to him, it had simply seemed the right thing to do, especially given the inscription on Janine's headstone.

'So are you really going to agree to Dan's idea of a movie?', Slater asked his parents.

'Yes', Martin said firmly. 'At last, it's a chance to show the world just how much of a hero Janine was and not the coward the media made her out to be at the time of her death.'

'Good point Dad. I should have thought of it more like that in the first place.'

'Dan said he will bring us a script to approve once its written and if there is anything we don't agree with, he says he will scrub it.'

'Okay Dad, but you do need to remember that Dan is a Hollywood movie director. He makes blockbusters.'

'Good, then even more people will learn what an amazing woman Janine Slater was.'

Slater and Jessie were outside, letting Zoe hug her grandparents goodbye for the evening when Slater's cell rang.

'What now?', he wondered as he picked it up and then he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

'Another one, the main LA gym, I had better get over there now.'

'Slater no, I don't think you should drive.' Jessie had already seen anger and stress rise in his face instantly.

'It's okay, if there's some sort of crisis, Zoe can stay here tonight. We will drop her off at school in the morning', Carol Slater offered.

'Thanks', Jessie and Slater then kissed Zoe goodbye for the night and headed towards the car, Jessie taking the keys from Slater.

Once in the car, Slater told her more about the phone call he had received.

'You do realise if this gym is badly damaged, we are going to lose a hell of a lot of money. It's our main gym, the flagship, it has more members than any of our other branches in the states and even the world.'

'Lets just get there and see how bad it actually is first', Jessie started up the engine.

They knew how bad it was when they couldn't drive in to the road where the gym was for fire engines and they had to park a whole block away. When they got there, the huge building was engulfed in flames.

This, the flagship gym was closed on Sunday's as it opened twenty four hours a day Mondat through Saturday.

'Whoever is doing this, they are making sure no one actually gets hurt', Slater commented as he and Jessie stood watching from the closest distance they were allowed across the street.

'Jessie, its me that should be crying , not you.'

'I know, its just me being silly and sentimental. This is the place we first met again remember.'

'The day Jessie Spano walked back in to my life, how could I ever forget that?'

They stayed until every last flame was put out, but again the building and everything inside it had been completely destroyed and they both went home completely subdued.

'You know Jessie, someone is either really out for me, out for Kevin or out for the business as a whole, that much is obvious. And I just can't help thinking its someone out to get their revenge on Kevin, you know what he is like, he don't care who he hurts and he never has.'

'And that's exactly why, unlike you, Kevin will probably just end up a lonely old man.'

Slater continued to try and get hold of Kevin, but still to no avail and in the end he went to bed even angrier than when he had been watching the fire. Jessie tried to calm him down, but he was just to pent up and stressed to be able to sleep and got back out of bed and headed for his workout room. Perhaps a heavy workout would calm him down a bit. But it didn't, he found himself crashing the weights all over the place, so much so , that Jessie came through to see what was happening.

'I know your angry Slater, who wouldn't be, but thrashing around in here like that, it can't be doing you any good.'

'Your right, as usual', Slater started to put his free weights back in their proper places in the shelves and reset his weight machines back to their normal settings.

'Coffee?'

'I think that might be a better idea, thanks. I just wish I knew what this was about. One thing that tonight proved is that no way was the San Diego attack an isolated incident. I guess now we have to employ security guards at every one of our gyms in California for the hours they are closed.'


	7. Chapter 7

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Seven

Zack's Return to LA

Screech was glad that his family life was stable because everything else that seemed to be going on around him with his friends right now seemed absolutely crazy.

Of course when Zack had done a runner the first thing he had to deal with was organise substitute cover for his classes. Still at least Zack had made contact now so they were at least all able to stop worrying.

His office phone was about to ring as he was about to go and cover a study hall for Zack.

'Hi Sam. It' s Josie.'

'Josie, everything okay? Your Mum alright? You alright?'

'Relax, Sam, everything is fine. I just called to tell you my good news. I got accepted to Cal Tech for my masters degree.'

'Josie, that's terrific, congratulations , I'm so happy for you.'

'Thanks Sam, I wanted to call you first. You were the one that got me in to computer science and all things techie. I love modifying Kevin in my spare time as you know.'

'Maybe its about time we built him a wife, or at least a companion', Screech joked.

'Sam, that's a fantastic idea. When can we get to work?'

'I was only kidding Josie, but I guess it would be nice to work on something new. Maybe your Mum could help again, when she's not too busy with her doctoral thesis of course.'

After the study hall , Screech waited to take Zack's homeroom register and it was an easy enough for once. Everyone had showed up for the end of the school day, none of the kids had cut and just for a change he left school only an hour or so after the kids did. He was usually there at least an hour after the kids had gone home each night.

When he picked Joseph up from school on his way home he bumped in to Slater and asked him if there was any more news on the arson attacks.

'None at all Screech. But the good news is, there hasn't been anymore. But then I have now got out of hours security patrol at every one of the California gyms. It's not even something we ever had to think about before.'

When Screech arrived home, Nicola and Josie were both home from uni early and making dinner. Sophie was there too, she was still refusing to go back to Stanford and had been working on her undergraduate thesis at home so she could be there for her Mum. She just wanted her Dad to come home, but he had just kept saying soon, when he had the chance to figure some things out.

'A fulll house for dinner tonight then, that's a rarity.' Screch couldn't even remember the last time they had all sat down and ate dinner together as a family on a week night.

While the women carried on cooking, Screech helped Joseph with his reading homework that they gave all the pre-school kids. He had missed out on all this with Paul and was so grateful he had the chance to do it all with Joseph.

After dinner they sat down to make plans to build a new robot companion for Kevin. Even Sophie stayed and joined in, even though she had absolutely no interest in computer science.

'Isn't your boyfriend or I should I say fiance now missing you Sophie?'

'He isn't my fiance anymore, he's not even my boyfriend anymore. I broke up with him.'

'But why?'

'Because after my Dad walked out on my Mum and Travis, I realised I don't actually want to get married, ever. I don't want that to ever happen to me.'

'Sophie, none of us are quite sure whats going on with your Dad, but I'm sure he will be home soon and work things out with your Mum.'

'I'm not so sure, he has never walked out on us before. Mum said they didn't even have a row, so none of us get why he did it.'

'That has us all baffled Sophie, none of us do.'

The only other thing Screech did know, was that Zack had spoken a little more to Lisa about things and had asked Lisa not to say anything to anyone until he had figured out what he was going to do. Screech didn't tell Sophie that though, he knew Sophie so well that she would only probe him for more information that he simply didn't have.

Screech's other worry was that he was going to have to professionally reprimand Zack for his sudden dissappearence. Though he wasn't going to be too hard on him as Zack had once covered for him when Paul first showed up in his life. But he still had to make Zack see that as a teacher, he had a responsibility to his students and the school and that meant he couldn't just go taking off on a whim, no matter how troubled he might be.

The time Sophie left for home in her Dad's car, it was gone eleven, Joseph had been asleep for three hours already and Screech couldn't wait to get a decent nights sleep himself. Except a phone call he received as he was about to climb the stairs put an end to that prospect. The number flashing was Zack's cell.

'Hey Screech, I've come home. I'm in a bar downtown. Want to come and meet me? I've already called Slater, he's coming along.'

'Zack, I have to be up early.'

'So do I, if I still have a job that is. But please Screech, I really want to see you guys. I know I've only been gone three weeks, but I've missed you.'

'Okay. What bar are you in?'

Screech took down the address of one of the newer popular bars downtown and told Nicola what was going on. He had a feeling he was going to be consuming alcohol when he got there, so he called a cab to take him there. He arrived the same time as Slater arrived outside.

'At least he has come home. His call gave me a fright though. When I heard my phone ring, my first thought was there had been another arson attack on one of the gyms.'

Inside Zack was sat at one of the tables drinking a beer, there was already one waiting for Screech and a large orange juice waiting for Slater.

'So the wanderer returns', Zack sat down next to Screech.

'Hey preppy, good to have you home. Now are you going to tell us why you took off like that or not? Taking off in a dramatic fashion with no explanation, that's something I assosciate with Jessie, not you.'

Zack then told them everything about the day he had walked out on Kelly and why and how it had made him feel.

'I miss Kelly so much', Zack confessed as he started on his second beer. I want to go home so much, but how can I knowing that she lied to me and doesn't trust me?'

'Zack, you should be talking about this with Kelly , not us.'

'I can't, because the minute I go home, the minute I see her, I won't want to leave again.'

'But isn't that the idea?', Screech was confused and Zack really wasn't making much sense, but then who knew how many beers Zack had drank before they arrived.

Zack could drink copious amounts of wine and spirits and still make sense but it was always a different story when he drank beer.

'Screech, I don't know if I can go back.'

'Of course you can, its where you belong Preppy and you know it',Slater encouraged. 'Remember the time Jessie left me with no explanation, I remember how I felt. I know how Kelly's feeling right now Zack and its not something I ever want to feel again. You need to at least go and talk things out with her, but tomorrow, after work and when you are sober. Tonight you can stay in one of our spare rooms. Jessie will be glad you've arrived back home safely too.'

'What did you do in London for three weeks on your own anyway?'

'Got bored, got a bit drunk alone in my room like some lonely middle aged man, because that was exactly how I felt. The rest of the time I just passed the days as any tourist would, visited the museums, walked around the parks, went to Oxford Street and Regent Street and looked round the shops and that was something it felt the strangest thing of all doing without Kelly. But the really stupid thing is one day I even bought a present for Kelly. I saw a ring I knew she would really like and bought it for her for our upcoming wedding anniversary. It was only after I bought it and had it gift wrapped by the jeweller and was outside, that I realised exactly why I was there in London to begin with.'

'Okay, Zack, lets go for the big one here. Do you still love Kelly?', Screech asked.

'Of course, you guys know that. Back in school, other girls came and went, including Stacey , but Kelly was the only one I ever wanted, the only one I ever really loved and cared about and could see myself spending the rest of my life with.'

'Then I know you two can work things out, you have too.'

'I'm still not sure we can Screech', Zack started on another beer as he started to go over it all again, again and again.

When Slater looked at his watch it was half past three in the morning.

'Hey , we had better go soon, we've all got to be up for work in a few hours.'

The music had been loud in the club, but then when he looked at his phone, Slater noticed he had three missed calls from Jessie, but she hadn't left any voicemails. He called her as soon as they were outside waiting for a cab.

'Sorry Jessie, I didn't hear the phone ringing in the bar , it was really loud in there.'

'That's what I presumed. But listen I took a phone call a little while ago from police in Nevada. They've attacked the Reno gym, not arson this time, vandalism.'

'What kind of vandalism?'

'The worst Slater. The double glazed glass fronted windows were no obstacle for the ram raiders truck. Slater, it was just on the news, it looks terrible. The building is still standing, but that's about it. Whoever did it, went on a complete rampage. The reporters are saying they have caused millions of dollars of damage.'

'I'm coming home now, someone really is out to destroy us.'

Jessie was sat glued to the news item when Slater arrived home with Zack.

'Welcome home Zack, its good to have you back. Slater, you had better come and watch this.'

The three of them sat back down on the sofa and watched the screen as they showed the vandalised gym and what was left of the equipment at all angles. After they moved on to other news, Zack discreetly went to bed leaving Jessie to comfort Slater who looked more stressed than he had ever seen him.

'I'm sure they will get to the bottom of all this soon', Jessie hoped they would anyway, because she wasn't sure just how much more her husband could take.


	8. Chapter 8

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eight

Back Where He Belongs

Zack had gone back to work at Bayside the following morning and phoned Kelly at lunchtime.

'Do you think I could come home and talk with you this evening?', he asked almost sheepishly.

'Zack, you don't have to ask to come to your own house.'

'I know that. Would if be okay if I ask for Screech to pick Travis up when he goes for Joseph and have him stay with them the night?'

'Of course, but you do realise Sophie is still here and Ben is still rining from school everyday?'

'Kelly, I've already called Sophie, she says she is going out with Josie tonight anyway and she has promised me she will go back to Stanford in the morning. I phoned Ben too, he is fine now.'

'I guess I will see you after work then, I will try and leave the surgery early, but I definitely won't be home any later than six and I'm not on call, so we will have the whole evening to ourselves to talk.'

'Good. I think that is exactly what we need to do Kelly.'

'Zack, I don't know why you took off like you did, but I've really missed you.'

'I've missed you too Kelly', Zack couldn't help admitting before he put the phone down.

Throughout the rest of the school day , every spare moment he had, Zack kept thinking about what he had realised when he had bought Kelly that ring in London. He had realised just how much he still loved her, was still in love with her and wished he hadn't felt the way he did when she had found out about her lying to him. He should have just gone home and spoken to her that night and not done the Jessie thing and taken off. But right now, he couldn't wait to see Kelly and therefore found himself willing the school day to hurry up and end, just like he had when he was a disinterested teenager.

Later on though, as he walked up to his own front door, it felt strange. He almost felt that maybe he should be knocking, but netherless he let himself in with his own key.

'Coffee's on. I made sure I left the surgery early today', Kelly was cold, but then he really deserved it for the way he had acted.

'Thanks.'

'Well?'

'Well what?'

'Aren't you going to give me an explanation for your recent out of character crazy carry on?'

'Okay, okay. Here it is, I know that recently you lied to me. A certain evening that you were on call. I know that Leon Carousi died and that you were the doctor called to Malibu Sands. I overheard some kids talking in school and then checked it out that they had got all the details correct. They had.'

'And you left because of that? Why didn't you come and ask me straight out?'

'Because I was having a hard time believing you had lied to me in the first place and then when I did accept you had, I just kept wondering why. I couldn't think straight. Kelly, why?'

'Okay Zack, I know I was wrong to lie to you. In fact the following morning I decided I was going to tell you the truth after work, only you never came home that day. Of course at the time I had no idea you had done a disappearing act and was going out of my mind.'

'I'm sorry I worried you Kelly, but you still haven't told me why you lied.'

'Because of Stacey and the conversation I had with her.'

Kelly then repeated to Zack the whole conversation she had had with Stacey that night.

'Look Kelly, she's an old friend and I'm sorry she's having a bad time and all, but what on earth made you think I would have wanted to go and comfort her? We already had all this out once a few years back and the existence of that woman is still haunting our lives. Anyway , you said Stacey made it clear she didn't want to see any of us or have any of us at the funeral, so why not just leave it at that?'

'I'm sorry Zack. I know lying was wrong. I'd had a long day and I just felt threatened by her. I probably wasn't thinking too clearly at home afterwards, not that that's any excuse.'

'Kelly, lets get things in to perspective once and for all. The only reason I went out with Stacey when I was seventeen was because I couldn't have you. She was the next best thing. We had been split a while and you had made it clear you didn't want to be anymore than friends at the time.'

'I know that Zack. I guess I've always known it deep down. You being away really brought things home to me. I sat here wondering how life would carry on, how I would cope if you really had left for good. Zack, you've always been there for me and I didn't always treat you the best, especially when we were kids, before we got married and even after. I can't have been the easiest person to live with as a medical student and young Mum. But I do know I couldn't have got through it all without you by my side. I promise I will never, ever lie to you again. Can you ever forgive me?'

Zack didn't say anything for a few moments and then pulled her close, never wanting to let her go. Being away from her had been a horrible experience, one that he never wanted to repeat.

'I already have. But are you going to forgive me for doing a runner like that? I promise I'll never do anything like that again either.'

'I already have too and it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't lied.'

'Kelly, it was so strange being away without you, not having you by my side and not in a nice way. Remember the night I proposed to you, when I told you I couldn't imagine living my life without you?'

'Of course, its one of my most treasured memories.'

'I had three weeks of living my life without you and I hated every minute of it. I'm sorry I worried the kids too. I've sure missed Travis, I can't wait to see the much smaller version of myself and it will be good to see Sophie too.'

'Well its still early, they won't have put the kids to bed yet. We could go and pick Travis up from Screech and Nicola's right now. The time we get back, Sophie might be home as she said she and Josie were going to the early showing as Josie has a really early lecture in the morning.'

'I guess we should be thinking about a high school graduation present for Ben and a college graduation present for Sophie', Zack said, pleased to be home and hoping things would get back to normal sooner rather than later.

In the car to Screech's place they agreed they would buy Ben a car for his high school graduation as they had done for Sophie.

'Sophie's college graduation is going to be a little more tricky, especially now she has called the wedding off.'

'Kelly, you won't like me saying this, but I'm glad she called the wedding off. I know no man is ever going to be good enough for my daughter, but I would like her to marry a man I at least like. I never really liked Brandon much to be honest. And I know its also hypocritical of me to say this, but I really would like her to wait until she is out of grad school and got her career established before she thinks about marrying anyone. I am sure she is going to do great in law school.'

'Me too, but Zack, the truth is, I was never really keen on Brandon myself. You know who he reminded me of?'

'Who?'

'Jeff, the one who ran The Max and first broke us up back in school. So arrogant and sure of himself. I want someone far better and far nicer for Sophie. Now what are we going to get her for her graduation?'

'How about some travel vouchers? She keeps telling us she wants to see so much more of Europe and she has got the whole summer. She could see so many places in that time.'

'Zack, that's a great idea. We can surprise her with it after the celebrations. It's going to be a hectic summer, Ben's high school graduation one week and Sophie's college one the next.'

'I guess that's what we get for having such a clever daughter or these graduations would have at least been two years apart.'

When they reached Screech and Nicola's, they had a full house once more. Travis and Joseph were playing together with Crystal and Zoe. Travis left them immediately as soon as he saw his Dad was here. Zack picked up his youngest son and hugged him.

'I missed you Dad.'

'I missed you. I hope you've been good for your Mum.'

'He's never good, he takes after you', Kelly winked at Zack.

'Travis has been cheating',Joseph offered, looking up from the Ludo game they had been playing. 'I'm only going to play with Zoe and Crystal now, because they never cheat.'

'That's not very nice Joseph' , Nicola warned 'I'm sure Travis won't cheat if you let him play again.'

Joseph reluctantly agreed and allowed Travis back to play with them.

Zack and Kelly joined Nicola and Screech on the other side of their lounge.

'So how come you've got Crystal and Zoe here as well Screech?'

'Lisa's holding an open evening at the college and Darren's had to work late. Jessie and Slater dropped Zoe off here about half an hour ago. They've had to go to Santa Barbara, unfortunately you can probably guess why. Zoe is going to spend the night with Lisa and Darren when one of them comes to pick Crystal up.

'Oh dear, but hang on, I thought they had the security covered now.'

'Oh the person who set fire to the place took care of that, made a call to the security guard saying their services were urgently needed at the gym near Lompoc and they fell for it. Police tried to trace the call but they weren't able too. They believe it probably came from a pay as you talk phone that was discarded straight away.'

'This is awful and still no sign of Kevin returning either?'

'No, but Slater did receive a postcard form him this morning, from the Maldives. All it said was having a wonderful time, hope business is going great, see you soon. Jessie said she had never seen Slater in such a state. That's why she wanted to go to Santa Barbara with him.'

'Well come on little man', Zack picked his son back up from where the children had finished their game on the floor.

'I won', Travis said proudly.

'Not really', insisted Joseph 'He cheated.'

Zack couldn't help smiling. There was no doubt in his mind that Travis had cheated.

'Now lets not start all that again. It's getting late and fast approaching Travis's bed time and all of yours no doubt', Zack led the way to the door as Screech and Nicola waved them off, both happy to see Zack and Kelly together again. For a while they had both been really worried that they may have split up again for good. They were glad to see that particular worry had been for nothing.

Back home Zack put Travis to bed and read him a story. For once , Travis was too tired to complain about having to go to bed. Then he sat back down and had a long chat with his daughter.

'I've apologised to your Mum. I guess its time for me to apologise to you too.'

'It's okay Dad and don't take this the wrong way, but it was good for me. It made me realise things can't always be perfect. I thought about how I would feel if Brandon suddenly left me like that and I suddenly realised I wouldn't be at all bothered. I wouldn't have been devastated like Mum was. It made me realise I didn't love Brandon enough to marry him.'

'It's okay Sophie. At least you called it off before you married him, that would have been worse for you. You've got plenty of time Sophie, your barely twenty years old, your find the right person one day and trust me when you do, your know it alright.'

'When did you know Mum was the right one for you?'

'I wanted to marry her in kindergarten, but for real, just after we went out on our first date in high school.'

'I'm so glad your home Dad',Sophie hugged her Father.

'Me too, now you just make sure you get yourself back to Stanford in the morning.j'

'My car's already packed and ready to go.'

A/N I just couldn't keep Zack and Kelly apart for long, it just didn't feel right!!


	9. Chapter 9

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Nine

Lisa's Bad Day

Lisa's open evening to potential grad school students was not going as planned, mostly because she had ended up short on helping hands. Berry had always been there to help in the past, but he was six thousand miles away. Two of her other lecturers that had promised to help had been called away at the last minute, so she ended up doing a presentation all on her own from the lecturn in the main hall. When she finally got to the end of it, she invited questions.

'I'm a lifelong admirer of Berry Dawson's work. I understand he lectures here.'

'This is Turtle Fashion College, not Dawson Fashion College. He emigrated and its rather a long commute.'

Lisa always was this way with potential students, they needed to know from the outset that the fashion world was a shallow place and that most people in it were just out for themselves.

'How many of your graduates now have their own design labels?'

'Three', Lisa answered honestly. 'But we are a small school and that's three more than a lot of the bigger grad schools have got. Besides if you don't make it,you can always come and work for me, or one of the other big designers if you want to lower your standards.'

Finally she reached the end of the evening and thanked everyone for attending. She phoned home and got no reply, so she called Darren at the office.

'Hi Lisa. I think I'm going to be here a few more hours yet. This is one of the most complex cases I've ever worked on and the poor client can barely afford to pay us.'

'I haven't had the best of evenings myself. I'll go and pick up the girls from Screech's and then I'll see you at home okay.'

When Lisa did arrive at Screech's house, they had to wake Crystal and Zoe up who had fallen asleep on the sofa.

'Lisa , you look exhausted.'

'I feel it', she admitted to Screech. 'I really need to find a replacement for Berry. I never thought I would say it, but I'm actually beginning to think that Berry really has gone in to permanent retirement from the fashion world and the party and champagne lifestyle.'

'You heard from him lately?'

'Hardly at all, just a quick email with a picture of him and some surfer guy he met walking along the beach.'

'I guess we must seem boring compared to Berry.'

'Don't be silly Screech, my best friends could never bore me. I left New York so we could all be closer together again after all. I guess I had better get these girls back to my place. I'll see you later Screech.

When Lisa did arrive home, she put Crystal and Zoe straight to bed and was just going to think about ordering some dinner in when she heard the news on the radio. It wasn't just the Santa Barbara Sampson gym that had been attacked that night. There were currently two suspected arson attacks on the Sampson gym's in New Orleans and Detroit. Firefighters were currently putting out both. They were both twenty four hour gyms and members had had to be led to safety this time. Fortunately nobody had been killed or injured.

Lisa didn't have any appetite anymore as she listened to the news item on the radio. They now suspecting it was a group of people targeting Sampson gyms. Though there were still no theories as to why someone would set out to destroy a gym chain.

Lisa wondered if Slater knew about this yet, considering he and Jessie had gone rushing straight off to Santa Barbara. She tried calling them, but both their cells were switched off. She phoned Screech and Nicola asking if they had heard.

'We just saw it on the national news. All three gyms are burnt out completely again', Nicola told her.

Lisa couldn't bare to watch it on the television, she was relieved when Darren finally came home, his arms full of files.

'What a day, or should I say, what a day and night at the office?'

'It's been quite a day for all of us. You hear about the gyms in New Orleans and Detroit?'

'On the radio driving home. You heard anymore from Jessie and Slater?'

'Not since they left for Santa Barbara. Your getting worse than Jessie, bringing all that work home with you., Lisa pointed to the files in Darren's arms.

'Yes and this is all for just one case, why did I ever become a lawyer?'

'Probably because your parents wanted you too.'

'Actually no, my parents never wanted me to go to law school. They said I was heading for a tough , stressful career. This family law thing though, it can get so complicated and that's what we mainly deal with where I work now.'

'You could always refer the divorce cases on to Jessie.'

'Lisa , most of our clients are on welfare. They couldn't even afford a fifth of Jessie's fees. Anyway , its actually mostly custody rights and things like that we deal with. It's all a long way from when I practiced in Chicago and New York.'

'Do you miss it?'

'Not at all. I get to be home with my family all the time and I get more variety with what I do now. I think I'm going to work from home tomorrow though, that office does drain me at times.'

'At least your home office is decorated nice.'

'I know a great fashion designer that helped me decorate it', Darren joked.

Later on they were sat drinking their coffee, when the door to the lounge opened and Zoe walked in.

'You okay Zoe?', Lisa went over to her.

'I woke up with Crystal. How come I'm here? Where's Mummy and Daddy?'

Lisa realised the sleepy girl was confused.

'Oh Zoe, honey, your Mummy and Daddy had to go away for the night remember?'

'But why didn't they take me with them?'

'Because you have to be up early for school and we thought you might like a surprise sleepover with Crystal.'

Lisa thought quick, she knew that like her, Jessie and Slater didn't believe in shielding the world from their child, but she also knew telling her about this would be going too far as well as the fact she would find it hard to understand.

'You want a drink of milk?', Zoe asked her.

'When are Mummy and Daddy coming to pick me up?'

'It's late now, so probably after school tomorrow.'

'I don't want to go back to sleep yet, maybe they will come for me soon.'

Lisa then remembered something Jessie had once told her. Zoe always went to sleep easy if they played her a CD of childrens classical pieces. And Lisa knew she had a copy somewhere. Lisa had decided to try it on Crystal, but it it hadn't worked. It appeared that Crystal, just like her Mother, did not enjoy classical music. Crystal slept best to the best hits of UB40. Lisa smiled at the memory as she dug out the childrens classical CD from the bottom of the pile.

'How about you sleep in one of our spare rooms and I play your favourite CD?' You have to go back to bed now though, or you will be too tired for school in the morning.'

'Okay, but promise me you will wake me up if Mummy and Daddy get home early.'

'I promise you Zoe. Come on, you can pick which room you want to sleep in and then we can play this.'

Lisa was so thankful it worked, by the second track, Zoe was asleep, cuddling one of Lisa's old teddy bears she had found for her. Back downstairs Darren had fallen asleep on the sofa. She left him, she knew he would climb the stairs to bed when he woke up. She checked in on Zoe again and Crystal and then went to bed herself, it had been a long day.

When Lisa did wake the following morning, Darren was still asleep next to her, she hadn't a clue what time he had finally dragged himself to bed. She got Crystal and Zoe ready for school and then got them to eat breakfast. All she had managed herself was a cup of coffee. She had her final decision to make today on her postgrad intake for the next semester. And it was days like this that she really missed Berry being nearby.

Lisa was just about to leave with the girls for school when Jessie and Slater arrived, both looking exhausted, especially Slater.

'We came to see Zoe before you took her to school, we just got back to LA', Jessie explained picking Zoe up for a hug. 'Sorry, we had to go away last night, we missed you lots.'

'I hope you've been a good girl for Lisa and Darren', Slater took her from Jessie. 'You make sure you work hard at school today and we will pick you up after and take you for ice-cream.'

The whole idea seemed to cheer Zoe up even more and Lisa dropped a happy little girl off at her class. But now Crystal was grumpy because she had just remembered her teacher had told them they were having a spelling test today and she hadn't practiced enough.

'You will be okay Crystal. Your teacher always says how good you are at spelling and reading', Lisa tried to reassure her daughter.

It had been quite a night and quite a day so far and she hadn't even got to work herself yet. And there was more problems when she got to the college. Two lecturers were off sick and there was final work that had to be graded today. Lisa spent the day doing that, before doing the same thing Darren had the night before and ended up taking files of work home with her. She also had acceptance letters to get out this week as well as starting on her Winter collection of outfits.

When she had gone to pick Crystal up from school she bumped in to Jessie and Slater waiting for Zoe.

'How you guys doing?'

'We spent the day sleeping, so much better thanks', Jessie told them.

Lisa took a long look at them. Neither of them looked the best, but Lisa thought Slater actually looked ill, though she thought it best to keep her opinions to herself. Right now, she just needed to be a friend and to be there for them.

When Zoe ran up to her parents, Lisa could tell they were both trying hard to hide all the stress they were under from her and listen to her talking all about her day at school and how she had got two gold stars for reading.

'That deserves a double scoop of ice cream', Slater told her 'What flavours are you going to get?'

'Mint choc chip. I love mint choc chip.'

Jessie laughed remembering her pregnancy cravings for mint choc chip ice-cream. Her daughter certainly knew what she liked and what she didn't from the beginning. Jessie herself hadn't touched that flavour of ice-cream since the day Zoe was born.


	10. Chapter 10

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Ten

A Stressful Time

Sat in the ice-cream parlour, Zoe happily eating her mint choc chip sundae, Jessie and Slater had both switched their phones off again for a while.

'If anyone wants us they can wait for an hour', Jessie had said.

'All I seem to get is news that's not the best anyway', Slater said, trying to be discreet in front of Zoe.

'You not going to have any ice-cream Slater?', Jessie asked.

'I'm not hungry Jessie.'

Jessie was trying not to show how worried she was, but she was sure Slater hadn't eaten properly for days.

'How about some coffee then?'

'Jessie, I told you, I don't want anything, leave it', he gave her a warning look.

She was going to have to talk to him later, after Zoe was in bed. She had a long day ahead of her the next day herself, a long day in court looming, but right now, all she could think about was making sure Slater was okay. Well, as okay as anyone could be with someone trying to destroy a business you half owned. Plus in two days time it was Janine's anniversary and that was always a hard day anyway.

Then Jessie remembered, the script for the movie about Janine's life was still lying unread on their coffee table, neither of them yet having had the chance to look at it. Perhaps that was something to do once Zoe was in bed. She knew Dan was already waiting to hear their views on it.

Jessie was glad they had brought the car to pick Zoe up from school today, because Slater looked like he had barely energy left, even for the short walk home.

'I'm driving', Jessie insisted 'Your not up to it and you know it.'

'For once , I'm not going to argue with you. I'm exhausted Jessie', Slater admitted.

'Come on, Zoe' s enjoyed her ice-cream, lets all go home and get some rest now.'

'Maybe no rest after all', Slater said when he switched his phone back on and read the text messages and heard the voicemails. They had again done three gyms during opening hours, this time , one in San Francisco, one in Seattle and one across the border in Vancouver. Nobody was hurt, but it would only be a matter of time before that changed if this kept on, surely it was inevitable.

After Slater put Zoe to bed, he watched the news item again with Jessie.

'The managers of those branches can deal with it this time, I'm not rushing off to these places anymore. I've got enough to do with all the paperwork, never mind negotiating membership transfers to alternative gyms. Not that that will be a problem much longer. So many clients have cancelled their memberships with us and who can blame them? Would you want to go to a gym where it is highly likely that someone might try and set fire to the place while your running your five miles on the treadmill?'

Slater was now going through mountains of paperwork he had to sign for the insurance company.

'Why don't you put it away Slater? Tackle it tomorrow when you've had some more sleep?'

'Whats that again? I think I've forgotten wha a good nights sleep is like.'

'Why don't you take a look at the script Dan Taylor sent over instead?'

'I can't Jessie, I've got to get this done.'

Jessie gave up and took out her own laptop. She had a big case in the morning and she knew she wasn't going to get through to Slater tonight.

In the morning Slater got a call from the accountants, for the first time ever, Sampson gyms was operating at a loss and was running at more of a loss as every day went by. Things were looking more grim than ever. Back at the office in the LAX gym, he spent his time refunding memberships to thousands of members whose local gyms had been burnt out. Then he was taking calls from members of still operational gyms that wanted to become ex-members and cancelling their memberships. No wonder Sampson gyms were going down the tubes fast.

Slater was using the LAX office now, because it was the only place safe from attacke, surrounded by the security of a busy airport.

Then he got a phone call from the captain of the college wrestling team.

'Hi Slater, any news on where we can train this week since the main gym went up in smoke?'

'To be honest, Simon, I'm not sure. None of our local gyms have the same facilities.'

'Then we may have to look for another coach with access to better facilities, but they won't be as good as you.'

'Whats wrong with your college coach and your campus gym?'

'Our coach should have given up years ago, that's why we came to you. And our campus sports facilities probably haven't been updated since you were in college yourself.'

'I'm sorry Simon , if there was a way I could still coach you guys I would.'

'Perhaps we could arrange for you to come on to campus and coach us, at least you could still coach us that way.'

Reluctantly Slater agreed to get down to the college campus the following morning for a training session and to do so regularly. Though the last thing he felt like doing right now was wrestling. But at the same time, he didn't want to let them down and the money was much needed right now.

On the day of Janine's anniversary, as usual, Slater stayed behind after his parents had left the cemetery. That was when he spoke to Janine like he always did.

'I still miss you Sis. It don't get any easier as the years go by. We just learn a little more how to live without you. Their going to make a film about you and what a hero you were. Soon everyone in the world will know what an amazing sister I had.'

On the way home, he switched on the radio in the car and then wished he hadn't. This time their had been a ram raid on the Sampson gym in Denver and another arson attack on their gym in Calgary. Just as he was about to switch the radio off, they got more news in , firefighters were currently attacking a large blaze at one of the Sampson gyms over in central London. He didn't know how he got through that drive home, but somehow he did. Surely this all had to stop soon, surely they had to have an idea on someone to make an arrest. But so far the police hadn't come up with anything at all. He was also sure that soon they would have achieved what they set out to do anyway and destroyed the entire Sampson gym chain completely.

He arrived home the same time Jessie came in with Zoe from school.

'We picked up some Chinese takeaway on the way home', Jessie told him.

But as they all sat down to eat together, it was only Jessie and Zoe that ate, Slater just pushed his food round the plate, he still couldn't eat a thing.

'Zoe , before you go to bed, why don't you read out loud from your book for Daddy? Then you can tell your teacher how good you were with your homework tonight.'

Jessie just hoped that would take Slater's mind off everything for a little while. While they did that Jessie finished reading Dan Taylor's script and had to agree with her parents in-law that it was real gripping stuff and as accurate as possible.

Later on, when Zoe was in bed asleep and when they couldn't bare to watch or listen to the news anymore, Jessie broached the subject of the script again.

'Slater, I think you will be really pleased with this script.'

'Jessie, I really don't want to read that now, especially today.'

'Perhaps you should read it, especially because its today.'

'Oh, you do remember what day it is then?'

'Of course I know what day it is. What was that supposed to mean?'

'It means where the heck were you? The cemetery. Why weren't you there? We always meet there every year.'

'Because you hadn't mentioned it. I presumed maybe you didn't want me to come along this year.'

'I have had other things on my mind. Besides I shouldn't need to remind you about the most important date on the calendar.'

'Oh really, what about our wedding day, our daughters birthday?'

'Don't start that Jessie, changing the subject, you know I didn't mean it like that.'

'That's what you implied. And yet here you are making such a big deal and you won't even read the script that's going to tell the world who she was.'

'You always do this don't you Jessie. Try and turn it round. You should have been there and you weren't. Why?'

'I already told you.'

'Not good enough Jessie. Even the captain of the college wrestling team text me to say he was thinking of me today. You didn't say a word when you left this morning.'

He was taking it out on her and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. He had really needed her at the cemetery earlier and she hadn't been there.

'Slater with everything else going on, I just didn't think you would want reminding of Janine's anniversary as well.'

'Like I need reminding, unlike someone else I know.'

'I told you Slater, I didn't forget. I know what a difficult day this always is for you.'

'Strange way of showing it, you really have.'

'Slater, what do you want me to do?'

'Nothing, its what you didn't do.'

Slater switched the baseball match on loud then and she booted up her computer, though she couldn't really concentrate on her work. She was glad she had no more court cases for a couple of weeks. She had plenty of emails enquiring after her services though. When she thought Slater may have calmed down, she shut her computer back down and went over to where he was pretending to watch the baseball match.

'Slater, I'm sorry I got it wrong about the cemetery today.'

Without saying a word he pulled her towards him and pulled her tight in his arms.

'I'm sorry Jessie, I shouldn't have taken it out on you.'

'It's okay, I know this is always a tough day, never mind whatever else is going on.'

'If only everything was okay'.

'Slater listen to me, I'm okay , your okay, Zoe's okay, that's what matters.'

'Doesn't keep a roof over our heads though does it?'

'No, the profits from the hotel pay for the small mortgage we took out for what we didn't pay in cash. As long as the hotel is fine, we will be fine. I think my husband needs a good nights sleep and some decent rest though'.

'Some hope of that'.


	11. Chapter 11

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eleven

Emergency

After just a few hours broken slep, Slater woke remembering he had another coaching appointment with the wrestlers down on the college campus. He didn't feel the best, in fact he felt a bit odd, but he didn't have to time to worry about that. He had to get going, Jessie had left with Zoe over an hour ago. A little while later he put the car in to gear and headed towards the college campus.

Simon was the team captain and the best wrestler on the team and none of his teammates were ever much competition for him. Simon was still only a college junior and already had a high school and college trophy collection to rival Slater's own. Simon always practiced with Slater as he was the only challenge for him, but today Simon noticed Slater was already sweaty and he had barely been near the mats yet. When they began their practice, Simon realised Slater definitely wasn't up to this, when Simon managed to pin him in a matter of seconds.

'I don't usually manage to pin you so quick', Simon commented, then noticed Slater was holding his arm.

'Hey , Coach, you okay?'

'I'll be fine in a minute, bad pain in my arm', Slater had hardly been able to get the words out.

Simon was just about to challenge another teammate, when he realised Slater hadn't made any attempt to move and had in fact collapsed on the mat, He noticed his coach was doubled up in pain and hardly able to breathe. He called 911 straight away and then shouted for someone to get help. Simon as the team captain had taken first aid courses and he now suspected his coach was having a heart attack. He was relieved when the paramedics arrived in a matter of minutes. He just hoped they could save him.

Jessie got the call that Slater had been rushed to hospital when she was taking Zoe back to school from her dental appointment. Simon had phoned her from Slater's cell that had been in his bag in the college sports hall.

'What's wrong? Is it serious?'

'I thought maybe he was having a heart attack. The paramedics said I was right.'

'Oh my god', Jessie grabbed hold of Zoe's hand and hailed the next cab that came along and asked them to take her to the emergency room at the nearest hospital to the college campus.

The whole time she was in the taxi, she kept telling herself how they must have it wrong. Slater was a fitness fanatic, always had been, he was too young to have a heart attack, he wasn't overweight or anything, it just didn't make sense.

'Where are we going Mummy?', Zoe asked.

'We have to go to the hospital to see Daddy, he wasn't feeling well.'

In the reception after explaining who she was, Jessie was lead to a waiting area outside the ICU. A little while later, a doctor finally came out to talk to her.

'Mrs Spano-Slater, your husband has had a major coronary, but we finally managed to get his heart beating properly again.'

'What does that mean?'

'It means the next forty eight hours are going to be touch and go and the risk of another attack is high, but if that does happen, the ICU is the best place for us to deal with it.'

'When can I see him?'

'Not just yet, maybe in a couple of hours. He's asleep right now and being constantly monitored obviously.'

'I just don't understand, Slater's not old, he's fit, he isn't the usual type of candidate for a heart attack.'

'Forget stereotypes, anyone can have a heart attack at any time. Many of them are caused by stress which in turn causes high blood pressure and that can take its toll on the heart. I'll be back later, let you know the latest, or if there is any change.'

Zoe had been playing with her doll on the floor, but then she got up and went back to Jessie, who sat her on her lap and hugged her close.

'Is Daddy going to be okay?'

'I hope so Zoe, I really hope so.'

When Martin and Carol arrived they looked as terrified as Jessie felt. Carol took Zoe to get a drink, while Jessie told Martin what the doctor had told her.

'I think we should take Zoe home with us for a while Jessie, this is no place for her.'

'I know. She asked me if he was going to be okay, all I could say was I hope so.'

'At least having Zoe to look after will help take Carol's mind off it.'

Martin Slater didn't mention it, but he also needed his mind taken off the fact that his son was lying in a critical state in the ICU.

When Carol and Zoe came back, Jessie said goodbye to Zoe.

'They are still trying to make Daddy better. I have to wait here until he is feeling better. You can go home with Grandma and Grandad though.'

Jessie watched them go, relieved now her daughter was out of sight, she could finally let the tears flow. She sat back down on the chair, pulled her hands to her knees, then bent her head down and broke in to uncontrollable sobs. What would she do without Slater? To think he wouldn't be there anymore if he didn't survive this? They may have made up, but it made her feel even worse about the row they had had the night before.

Martin Slater turned his head as they were about to leave the building and realised he couldn't leave his daughter in-law alone in that state. He had seen her break down in to sobs. Besides, he couldn't leave until he knew his son was okay either.

He let Carol take Zoe home and went back to Jessie and held her as she cried. He knew he was the closest thing she had to a Father now and he loved her like a daughter. She was terrified of losing her husband and Father of her child. And knowing Jessie, she was probably blaming herself.

'It's not your fault Jessie', he told her knowing what she was thinking.

He had to be strong for his family now, like he always had, despite the fact he was about ready to cry himself. He didn't think he could stand the thought of losing another child, Carol certainly wouldn't be able to take it.

_Meanwhile, Slater was having the strangest dream. At one time he appeared to be heading towards a bright light, it looked so attractive and welcoming, but then Janine had appeared, blocking the light off completely. She appeared as he always remembered her, standing tall and proud in her military uniform._

'_Not now Slater, its not time for you yet.'_

'_Janine, what do you mean?'_

'_I mean, I know where you were heading and so do you. But you can't go there Slater, not yet, not, for a long, long, time in fact.'_

'_But…'_

'_No buts Slater. You've got a choice and your choice has to be to fight this . You can't leave Jessie without a husband or Zoe without a Father. Mum and Dad already lost me, you can't let them lose you too. Jessie's outside crying in Dad's arms right now, blaming herself as usual. Dad's about ready to break down himself, but is making himself strong as usual. Mum is at home looking after Zoe trying to take her mind off you lying here. You can't leave them Slater, you've got so much to live for. You and Jessie are supposed to grow old, really old , together, watch your daughter graduate college, marry, saddle you with a couple of grandchildren. And by the way, I hear you tell people how amazing I was all the time, you just make sure Cynthia does a good job of playing me.'_

'_I will', he found himself telling her._

'_And you were the best brother I ever could have had. And my niece, she's beautiful.'_

'_Thanks. Tell me Janine , are you okay?'_

'_I'm fine. I watch over you all all the time. I miss you all, but I wouldn't change what I did ever. I knew what I had to do, even if it didn't turn out the way I hoped.'_

'_You mean you hoped to live?'_

'_Of course. But I also knew the risks. The difference here Slater, is you have a choice, I didn't.'_

'_What's it like where you are Janine?'_

'_I can't tell you that Slater , its not for you to know, not for another fifty odd years or so anyway. Now Slater, I have to go back and so do you, in a different direction from me of course. Give Mum and Dad a hug from me.'_

_And then Janine was gone from the dream and so was the light he had seen so vividly._

A little while later Slater was awake and opened his eyes, confused about where he was and confused about the dream he had just had. Then he noticed two nurses by his bed.

'How did I get here?'

'You had a major heart attack Mr Slater. You gave us a real fright. Now you need to get some rest.'

Slater went back to sleep then and one of the nurses went out to tell Jessie he was awake and stable for now, but that still didn't mean he was out of danger.

'He's sleeping again, but you can go in and see him for a few minutes.'

Jessie walked in and seeing Slater connected to the machine constantly monitoring his heart rate, fresh tears poured out of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, then sat down beside Slater and held his hand.

'Slater, please don't leave me. I love you, Zoe loves you, please get better. I've been so worried about you. I should have said something sooner, stopped you going mad rushing off to all these places.

Slater was half awake and could hear Jessie talking, but he just didn't have the energy to talk back to her right now. All he managed to do was gently squeeze her hand back.

All he thought about as he drifted back in and out of sleep was what Janine had said in his dream. He thought about Jessie and Zoe, Janine was right,he had way too much to live for. He loved them so much and couldn't bare the thought of never seeing them again. He was going to make sure he got better.

As the nurses told Jessie her time was up, he felt her kiss him on the cheek, heard her whisper again how much she loved him and then she was gone from the room.

When Jessie emerged back in to the waiting area, Zack, Lisa and Screech had arrived.

'We thought you wouldn't want to be alone at a time like this' . Zack told her. 'Kelly's coming along after she finishes this afternoons surgery.'


	12. Chapter 12

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twelve

Worrying Times

They allowed Martin in to see Slater for a few minutes just as they had Jessie.

'Come on son, you can beat this, you know it. You aren't get to let a heart attack get the better of you are you? Listen to me AC, I may not have said it much over the years, but I do love you, I am proud of you and I always will be.'

Again , Slater had been half awake hearing his Dad talk, but he still only had the energy to drift in and out of sleep. Then like they had with Jessie, they kicked him out of the room after a few short minutes.

'Jessie, I'm going to go home and see how Carol is doing. You want to come with me?'

'I can't Martin, I can't leave until I know he's going to be okay.'

'Okay, I understand. Call me if there's any change.'

'I promise, kiss Zoe goodnight for me', Jessie hugged her Father in-law goodbye and then found herself crying in Zack's arms.

'I'm so glad your all here.'

'That's what friends are for Jessie. Friends forever remember.'

They all knew they were in for a long night. Darren was looking after Crystal, Joseph and Travis and Screech wouldn't hear of Nicola missing a lecture she was assisting giving and being graded on, so once Kelly arrived, it had been just the five old friends there together in the waiting room.

'What if this is the way its going to be from now on? Just the five of us'.

'Jessie, you mustn't think like that. Slater's strong, he will get over this', Zack tried to reassure her.

'But Zack, they said there is a high risk of another attack.'

'And if it does happen, he couldn't be in a better place.'

'I wish I could get hold of Kevin Sampson. He didn't even leave a contact number. Kevin don't believe in outside world contact, when he goes on holiday, he really goes on holiday. And as a result Slater's now lying in intensive care.'

'Jessie, there has to be a way to get a message to Kevin.'

'Zack, the last postcard we had came three weeks ago, from the Maldives, the only way to do that is ring every hotel in the Maldives and find out if he's staying there.'

'That shouldn't be too difficult.'

'Knowing Kevin, he's probably somewhere else by now.'

'I think we should try Jessie. Screech , in the morning before school, get to your Mum's travel agents and get a list of every hotel in the Maldives.'

'Okay, I guess I can do that.'

'Great, we can start ringing round them as soon as first period is over. I'm always free second period on Tuesdays's.'

'Thanks guys, but I'm not sure it will do any good. We have got to find Kevin though. I can't have Slater having to deal with this anymore. It nearly killed him, it still might.'

Eventually Jessie had cried herself to sleep in Zack's arms. They all fell asleep there and it was the arrival of Carol Slater that woke them up.

'Martin is coming back later, after he's dropped Zoe at school.'

Kelly, Lisa and Screech all left to get to work, but Screech told Zack he would cover his first period for him. Then the nurse came and spoke to Jessie.

'Your husband had a good night. In fact he is awake and eating some breakfast.'

'Does that mean he is going to be okay?'

'He still isn't out of danger, but it does mean a full recovery is looking increasingly likely.'

'Can I see him now?'

'Sure, he's been asking for you.'

Jessie kissed Slater on his cheek and pulled up a chair and took hold of his hand again.

'Well , you look much better than you did yesterday. My god Slater, I've been terrified. I couldn't leave with you lying here. Zoe went home with your Mum and Dad last night. The gang are here waiting too. Listen to me rambling on, I haven't even asked how you are feeling.'

'Just incredibly tired to be honest.'

'Scared?'

'To be honest Jess, yes. It is frightening to wake up to find out you had a heart attack and nearly died.'

'Your going to be okay, I know you are. Your be back home with Zoe and I before you know it.'

'I hope so, I really don't go much on hospital food.'

'They will be lecturing you on a change of diet no doubt.'

'They've already told me if I must continue to drink coffee, it has to be de-caffeinated. They can't get me on much else, I don't smoke, I don't drink and I've eaten healthy most of my adult life. They said my attack was caused by high blood pressure, probably caused by stress. Then they asked me if there was anything wrong in my marriage. I told them my family life was about the only thing right in my life right now. Without you and Zoe to keep me going , I don't know what I'd do.'

'Slater, I promise you, we aren't going anywhere. I love you so much and Zoe, well , she's just a Daddy's girl through and through.'

'Jessie, if I tell you something, promise you won't laugh or tell me I'm mad.'

'Of course not.'

'I think Janine came to see me while they were still trying to get me stable. Or maybe it was just a dream, I don't know, but she made a lot of sense.'

Slater told her about the dream he remembered so vividly.

'What do you think Jessie? Do you think it was Janine haunting my dream or was it just a dream?'

'I guess we will never know Slater. But I will say one thing, what she told you was completely accurate, I was crying my eyes out in your Dad's arms, your Mum did take Zoe home, not just to help me out , but to take her mind off the fact she might lose her son too.'

'She told me she was okay Jessie and that she watches over us all every day. She said how beautiful Zoe was and to make sure Cynthia did a good job of playing her.'

Half an hour later the doctors were back round and Jessie found herself back out in the corridor with Carol and Martin.

'They are still only letting one of us see him at a time, you had better go and see him next Carol. I think I need to eat now, suddenly I am so hungry.'

'Me tooo' admitted Martin 'Come on, I'll buy us breakfast while the doctors are dealing with AC.'

They went to a restaurant just outside the hospital, where Jessie didn't ever remember eating so much hot buttered toast in all her life. As soon as Jessie switched her phone on, it started to ring with Brian Turner's number flashing.

'Finally Jessie, where have you been?'

'At the hospital. Slater had a heart attack yesterday . I've been at the hospital ever since.'

'Jessie, I'm so sorry, is he going to be okay?'

'The doctors say its looking increasingly likely, but the risk of another attack is high.'

'Oh god Jessie, take as much time away from the office as you need. You need any help with anything, you just let me know okay.'

'Thanks Brian. What were you trying to get hold of me for anyway?'

'We were just worried when you didn't come back to the office yesterday. I hope Slater gets better soon.'

'Thanks Brian, I'll let you know.'

Back at the hospital while Carol went in to see Slater and Martin went to get some things for Slater from the shop, Jessie was about to pick up one of the out of date magazines in the waiting room when a young lad of about twenty appeared.

'Are you Mrs Slater?' he asked.

'Yes I am', she told him, now wasn't the time to get uptight about getting her name right.

'Hi, I'm Simon, I spoke to you on the phone. I'm the captain of the college wrestling team. I had to come and see how our coach was. He collapsed on me, I didn't think he was up to wrestling when he arrived. He looked dreadful, maybe I should have called the ambulance sooner.

'Listen Simon, you spotted the signs and called the ambulance straight away. It's thanks to you that Slater's still alive.'

'Do you think they will let me see him?'

'They are only letting us see him for a few minutes at a time, but there might be a way. You can pretend to be our son home from college.'

It worked, the nurses on shift were different now anyway and they didn't question it at all when Jessie explained who he was.

After Simon had left and Jessie went off to collect Zoe from school with Carol, before Carol took her home for the evening, they told Martin they were moving Slater from the ICU, to a room of his own on the cardiac ward. Visiting was less restricted than on the ICU, so his friends could see him now too. They even said Jessie could bring Zoe in for a short while each day.

When Martin had called, Jessie had cried with relief at the school gate, waiting for Zoe.

'Why are you crying Mummy?'

'Zoe, I'm so happy and so relieved. Daddy's going to be okay. You want to come and see him in the hospital with me?'

Zoe nodded and as much as she enjoyed being with her grandparents, she also knew how much Zoe had been missing Slater and herself.

'I promise you Zoe, tonight we will both sleep at home.'

'Can Daddy come home soon?'

'Probably not for a week or so and then he will have to rest a lot.'

Back at the hospital Slater was all settled in to his new room watching the baseball on television.

'Nice to see you are getting back to normal', Jessie smiled.

Zoe gave Slater the card she had made for him in school that afternoon.

'I love it Zoe, thanks. You're the best daughter. So what else did you do in school today?'

'I came top in the spelling test.'

'That was more than I ever did. You definatley take after your Mummy there, she was always getting top marks too.'

'I love you Daddy, I hope they let you home soon.'

'Me too Zoe.'

That night, Jessie left Martin and Carol at the hospital with Slater and felt much better. Slater had even finally asked to read the movie script, so Jessie put it in her bag to take to the hospital the next morning.

It was the first time she had been back in the house since Slater had been rushed to hospital and once Zoe was in bed, it felt eerie, Slater not being around. He was the one that usually picked Zoe up from school , so he was always the one that got home before her and that was strange enough. But when she went to bed herself, it took her ages to get to sleep. She just hoped Slater really was going to be okay now. In the middle of the night she woke up and unable to get back to sleep, she called her Mum in San Francisco and had a long chat with her.


	13. Chapter 13

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Thirteen

The Return Of Kevin Sampson

At the weekend while everyone else took turns to visit Slater in the hospital, Zack and Screech were busy still contacting every hotel brochure by brochure.

'I never knew such small islands would have such a large amount of hotels', Screech observed as he closed yet another brochure.

'Yes, but look Screech, I just found a hotel here, that if I know anything about Kevin Sampson he would be sure to stay at.'

'It's a long way from Vegas. Isn't that where he told Slater he was going initially?'

'Yeah, Screech, but Slater said nothing is ever a surprise with Kevin. Though Kevin is in for a nasty surprise himself when he gets home. Anyway, look at this, it claims to be the most luxurious resort on the islands. That's the type of place the likes of you and I could only ever dream of.'

Screech dialled the number of the hotel and then passed the phone to Zack, who had always been good at this type of thing.

'Hello there, I urgently need to speak to one of your guests, Mr Kevin Sampson.'

'I'm afraid you missed him, Mr and Mrs Sampson just headed to the airport for their journey back to LA.'

'Thank you so much.'

Zack headed straight over to Jessie's and caught her before she left for the hospital with Zoe.

'Tonight, Kevin will be on his way home, sometime tomorrow, he will be arriving at LAX.'

'And I'm going to make sure I'm there to meet him Zack.'

'And since Slater can't be there , I'm coming with you.'

'Thanks Zack, do you think we should tell Slater?'

'No , not until we've dealt with him. They said Slater isn't to have any stress whatsoever remember.'

'Good point Zack. Besides Kevin Sampson will know all about stress the time I've finished with him. I've got things on Kevin he thinks no one knows about.'

'Such as?'

'Like the fact he has three off shore bank accounts both with large sums of money. And the fact that despite having a girl in every state and many other countries, he is actually officially still married and has two teenage children.'

'When did you find out about all this Jessie?'

'Yesterday, Brian Turner, my very good friend and long time colleague has various contacts in the right places. I also found out something else about Kevin Samspon, he has done time in prison. It was all a long time ago, but he did two years for constant auto theft between the ages of eighteen and twenty. A rich uncle came forward and helped him go straight by giving him the money to start his business.'

'To be honest Jessie, I never knew Kevin well, but I never really went much on him.'

'Even Slater didn't know him well, none of us did. But if I have my way, I'll have all Slater's business ties with him cut sooner rather than later and I'll make sure he hands over all the money Slater deserves and more.'

'Jessie, don't you go stressing yourself out too.'

'I won't, but I will say this, Kevin Sampson is going to wish he never met me.'

'That's my girl. Come on, lets go and see how many nurses your husband has fussing over him to do.'

When they arrived at the hospital, Slater was looking a lot better and was taking a chess lesson from Screech.

'I always threatened to teach you to play one day', Screech was enjoying being able to teach someone his favourite board games again. It would be a couple more years before Joseph could really get the hang of it, though he had already taught his youngest son a couple of moves.

'Sorry to break up the game.'

'That's okay Zack, I'll save the next lesson for tomorrow. I've got to get off and meet Nicola and Joseph at the mall anyway.'

'Where you really enjoying playing chess Slater?', Jessie asked as soon as Screech was gone from the room.

'Jessie, when your as bored as I am, even playing chess is interesting.'

'The jock that plays chess, now there's a concept.'

'Except I can't be a jock anymore so the doctors tell me. No more lifting heavy weights, no more wrestling coaching. It's got to be walking and swimming for me to keep fit from now on and that's the doctors orders.'

'But I thought they recommended all kinds of exercise after a heart attack.'

'Not the heavy stuff I'm used to Jessie. Look's like I'll be swapping my weights for a treadmill at home. The doctor say's I've got to build up my strength slowly. I am going to be so bored at home Jessie.'

'But your alive Slater and you got to work at staying healthy from now on. We can't have you ending up back here. Anyway, I meant to ask you , how did you find the movie script?'

'It was every bit as good as you said it was. I told Mum and Dad to phone Dan Taylor and to get things going straight away.'

'I knew you would like it, now forget chess, Zoe's brought something really challenging for you to play with her, snakes and ladders.'

'Now that I think I can handle', Slater smiled.

Jessie left them for a while and went and joined Zack in the cafeteria.

'It's all planned. Screech is coming back tonight so you and I can go to the airport. Kevin will be on one of two flights, because I bribed the hotel receptionist to tell me who he was flying with, that old Morris charm still works.'

'We are going to be there for when that first flight comes in. Now I just have to figure out what to tell Slater. Part of me thinks it would be easier just to tell him the truth, but then I know he would worry and that won't do him any good at all. Oh Zack, don't you ever miss being a kid?'

'Sometimes, doesn't everyone? But then I look at Kelly and the kids and I realise I wouldn't change my life for anything in the world.'

'I know what you mean.'

They told Slater nothing and when Screech arrived back at the hospital, they dropped Zoe off with Kelly and Travis.

'Zoe, I promise you, I'll only be gone a couple of hours.'

Jessie hugged her goodbye, with Slater in hospital, Zoe was getting really clingy, despite the fact she had always loved being around different people.

When Jessie and Zack got to the airport they had a drink in the bar in arrivals, Jessie mostly to calm her nerves. Jessie had also called Brian Turner and told him she was on her way to confront Kevin.

'I'm coming down there Jessie, just like I did with Slater when Zoe was born. What is it about the pair of you going to chase people up at the airport?'

Brian arrived within minutes and they finished their drinks and waited for people to emerge from the first flight they were waiting on in the arrivals hall.

When Kevin did emerge it didn't surprise anyone he had a beautiful young girl on his arm and that it wasn't the same one he had originally gone off to Vegas with him.

'Kevin, over here', called Jessie, pretending to be friendly.

'Hi Jessie, what are you doing here?'

'Waiting to meet you.'

'Well, since you're the first to greet us, you can be the first to congratulate us. Meet my new wife, Sharon.'

Jessie looked the girl up and down, she looked about the same age as Sophie Morris.

'So you're a bigamist too are you Kevin?'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean we need to talk now and if you don't want a scene, the office in the gym here in the airport is the best place.'

Brian was getting a feeling of déjà vu again, remembering the last time he had been in the office.

'Jessie please, I've just come back from my honeymoon.'

'And what do your wife and teenage children in North Dakota think about that?'

'Jessie, the divorce came through two months ago'.

'No it didn't. I checked Kevin. Your as married to Sally Sampson today as you were fifteen years ago. But do you know what else? I don't really care about your personal life. Because of you my husband nearly died from a stress related heart attack. He's still in hospital recovering. Now are we going to talk here or in the gym office?'

Kevin nodded reluctantly in agreement and led the way, his supposed bride following.

'Excuse me, where do you think your going?', Jessie asked her.

'With my husband.'

'Did you not hear what I just said?, he isn't your husband.'

'I don't believe you.'

'Believe what you like, but your not coming with us. This is none of your business.'

'Darling, wait for me in the bar okay', Kevin threw fifty dollars at her.

Back down in the office, with Zack and Brian standing in the background, Jessie told Kevin all that had happened and everything she knew.

'I can't believe I've come back to a business in the red', Kevin was genuinely shocked, but Jessie didn't care.

'That's the least of your worries Kevin.'

'What do you want from me Jessie?'

'Oh, that's easy Kevin. The way I see it, you owe Slater compensation for the stress of leaving him to deal with all this alone. Plus the loss of profit from the business from going in to the red. And of course there is also the fact that Slater is going to have to find a new career now he can't train heavy anymore.'

'Okay Jessie, how much do you want?'

'Two million dollars in Slater's bank account by tomorrow afternoon.'

'That will totally clear out one of my off shore accounts.'

'A fair deal I think. You tell Slater you are buying him out of the business and that the money is in the account when it is. Then once that's done, you leave our lives forever.'

'But my wife has access to my other off shore accounts.'

'That's not my problem Kevin. And that's my final offer. If you don't take it, I'll find a way to put it through the courts and your lose every scent you ever had. What I'm offering you here is more than a fair deal. And I'm only being so generous because I don't want Slater under anymore stress.'

'Okay, you got a deal.'

'Right, you phone up and arrange the transfer now, then you sign this agreement Brian drew up for us. Just be grateful I'm a divorce lawyer and not a business lawyer and that right now all I want is my husband better.'

Kevin realised he didn't have much choice but to sign the agreement and at the close of business on the Monday, the money was in Slater's bank account and Jessie could finally tell Slater, he no longer had to worry about Kevin or the business.


	14. Chapter 14

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Fourteen

Ben's Big Day

Zack and Kelly were excited, it was Ben's high school graduation day. There was going to be a concert where all the high school graduates would play in the orchestera as well as the traditional ceremony.

Ben had been offered a place at Juliard, but had also been offered a job playing with a touring chamber orchestra that's home base was LA, though they played all over the world. When Ben had originally gone to the audition, he thought he was way too inexperienced to get anywhere, especially being up against music college graduates, including two from Juliard. But it was Ben they wanted and said that he was naturally talented. Ben had one more week to make his final decision.

Kelly and Zack had arranged to meet Sophie at the school in San Diego. Sophie was getting excited about her own graduation and her summer travels to Europe. She was going to London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Vienna and also for a week on the greek island of corfu. She was due back three days before she was due to start Stanford law school.

Kelly and Zack had also driven to San Diego in separate cars, Kelly driving Ben's new car they were giving him for his graduation.

Ben was coming home straight after graduation and had his stuff packed already. He and his friends had had a farewell party the previous weekend at a local restaurant. It had also been the same night his girlfriend of a year had told him it was over between them, so right now all he wanted to do was just go home once graduation was over. There was no reason for him to stay in San Diego. He had also just come to a decision about his immediate future and was going to tell his parents as soon as they arrived.

'Hey Ben', Kelly knocked on the door of his now packed up dorm room. 'Want us to help us pack up your new car for you before the ceremony?'

'Thanks, but I've something to tell you first. I've made my decision, I'm taking the job with the touring chamber orchestra.'

'Congratulations Ben. Have you told them?, Zack asked.

'Yes, I phoned them this morning. Their third violin guy is retiring in two weeks time and that's when I start working for them.'

'Well done Ben. Do you know when you go on your first tour?', Kelly was excited for her son, his career taking off.

'Florida at Christmas. I can't wait. Finally I'm going to be paid to do what I've enjoyed doing all my life.'

'But first son, you have to play for us here one last time and collect your diploma', Zack reminded him of the reason they were there.

Zack and Kelly took their seats in the auditorium just as Sophie arrived and sat down next to them. They all got another shock when that years valedictorian was announced and called to the stage and Ben stood up and made a speech that brought tears to all their eyes. And that was before Ben played his solo in the orchestra.

Afterwards they all hugged and congratulated Ben.

'How come you didn't tell us you were the valedictorian?, Kelly asked.

'It came as a shock to me too. I always did well, but I never did think my GPA would be the highest in the school. Besides Sophie here is the brainy one, I'm the musical one.'

'Ben , do you know how long it took me to get the hang of reading music? You could read the music the time you were five', Kelly couldn't help smiling at the memory.

It was late in the afteroon the time they had helped Ben pack his car up and they were finally heading home. Sophie was in awe of Ben's new car, hers being four years old now.

'Can I drive it if I'm visiting home and your away on tour?', Sophie asked her brother.

'And what exactly is wrong with your own car?'

'Nothing, but yours is better and newer.'

'It's nothing when you think your going to be a flash lawyer in a few years time and driving round in the latest sports car.'

'I do hope so and have a nice house like Mum and Dad.'

Back home later in the evening, Ben had a stack of graduation cards and presents to open from his grandparents and parents friends.

'I have a lot of thank you e-mails to write.'

'You can thank our friends in person. They are all coming round for lunch tomorrow. Seeing as Sophie's college graduation is next week, we thought we would have the celebration lunch for you both this weekend, especially as Screech and Nicola are going to be busy with Josie and Paul's graduation themselves next week. Plus Nicola has her own doctorate graduation, she already has a professors job lined up at USC for the fall.'

Lisa and Darren gave Ben the Turtle designer suit she had always promised him when he was grown up and got his first job. Screech and Nicola gave him a picture of a violin Nicola had done in cross stitch, where she had found the time, she would never know. Jessie and Slater gave him some new music books of his favourite pieces from his favourite composers as he had worn his old ones out in music school.

Slater had been out of the hospital for two weeks now and his doctor was pleased with his progress, though kept reminding him he mustn't do too much too soon. So Slater spent his days going for a swim or walk in the morning, watching the sports channels, meeting Jessie for lunch if she didn't have a day in court, walking Zoe and Jessie to school and work and then meeting them again from school and the office.

'If you didn't have a job to start you could have taught me to play the violin Ben', Slater said at the lunch at the Morris's house the next day.

'But Mum and Dad told me you can play the drums.'

'I could once Ben. I haven't played in years.'

'We could revive Zack Attack', suggested Zack, not even sure if he was serious or not.

'A bunch of middle aged rockers, I don't think so. Who would want to listen to us and more to the point where would we find the time', Kelly wondered.

'I don't think its such a bad idea', said Jessie 'Look Slater you could get a new drum kit and we could all set up and rehearse in our house once a week and the kids can just have a good laugh at all of us. Kelly, your still playing the guitar aren't you?'

'When I get the chance.'

'How about you two?', Jessie looked at Screech and Lisa.

'I'm in, we could all do with a bit of fun. It's been quite a year so far', Lisa agreed.

'Count me in too then', Screech agreed.

So it was all arranged, every Friday night they would rehearse at Jessie and Slater's house and make an evening of it with the kids. They had originally planned to revive their band a few years back, but then the younger children of the gang had come along and the idea had been been put on the backburner, but this time, they really wanted to make it happen.

'I had better go and buy myself a new drum kit this week then. Maybe I can teach Zoe how to play them.'

'You could teach me too. I always wanted to have a go when we were kids, but you wouldn't let anyone near your precious drum kit.'

'It wasn't just you Jessie, I wouldn't let anyone near it.'

When everyone had gone home for the first time since Ben had gone away to school, the entire Morris family sat down and watched TV together. It was a regular situation comedy that made them all laugh, except for Travis who had fallen asleep on his big sisters lap.

'He always does this', Sophie explained to Ben. 'When I was home for a couple of weeks earlier in the year, he fell asleep on my lap every night. He begs Mum to stay up half hour longer, then he can't stay awake.'

Sophie took Travis up to bed and then sat back down with her parents and Ben and got them to talk about their own high school and college graduations again.

'My favourite one is still the story about Dad having to do ballet go graduate high school.' Ben always laughed at that particular story.

'Okay guys, the time has come. Remember your Mum and I always told you we didn't have it on DVD. We, we don't because DVD's weren't around then. But we do have a recording on an old VHS tape and we do still have an old VHS recorder in the garage. I think the time has come to show you guys just what I went through to graduate with my friends.

In the garage Zack found the old tape and put it on the old recorder and television.

'Oh my god, look at you all', said Sophie as she saw her teenaged parents and their friends on screen.

'Screech really hasn't changed much', observed Ben, who couldn't stop laughing at his Dad's bad attempts at ballet dancing and everyone else on the stage doing their best to make him look good.

'Sometimes, just sometimes, I kind of miss being in high school', Kelly had tears streaming down her face from all the laughing at her eighteen year old self. 'I don't think I've laughed so much in a long time.'

Sophie and Ben went back inside, but Zack and Kelly stayed talking in the garage as Zack put the now outdated recorder and televison away.

'Graduation hey Kely. Remember how emotional you all got that night and I couldn't understand why you were all upset when we were all finally getting out of high school? Whoever thought I would end up back there?'

'That's the way the life goes. I remember that night when you left us all talking on the stairs, Jessie and Slater getting all emotional sat there together, me unable to believe Bayside didn't mean as much to you as I thought and then Lisa kissing Screech goodbye and Slater and I taking him away to calm down. It was good to watch that tape again, we not dug it out for a while. We should play it for the guys again when they are next over.'

Zack and Kelly were still laughing at the memories as they were climbing in to bed that night.

The next morning they woke up to important news on the television. A number of arrests had been made in connection with all the attacks on the Sampson gyms. They were glued to what the reporter was saying.

'_While Kevin Sampson now only maintains and runs two gyms, one here in LA at the airport and one in the city centre of San Francisco, ten arrests have been made, all of them women aged between twenty and fifty. It appears those arrested are all women that had relationships with Mr Sampson in the past, two of whom are claiming to still be married to him. It appears a woman named Clara Scholing set up an internet group for women that had been wronged by Kevin Sampson and set up a scheme for them all to get their own back together.'_

'At last', said Zack. 'It looks like our theory was right all along. But at least this news will please Jessie and Slater and they can finally put it all behind them now.'


	15. Chapter 15

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Fifteen

A New Friend For Jessie and A Shock For Lisa

Jessie and Slater had been eating their breakfast when they heard the news break on the radio. It later emerged the hero of the hour was actually Paul Powers who had started work in the gym now he had no more classes to complete. After the gym had closed for the evening, he had remembered he had some papers to collect and had seen a woman with a petrol can near the gym from a distance down the road and had called the police immediately. Clara Scholing it turned out was a known arsonist, but had combined her hobby with her hatred for Kevin Sampson and it had been so easy to get others to join her. It wasn't hard to find women Kevin Sampson had upset over the years on the worldwide web. On arrest, just as she was about to set the San Francisco gym alight, Clara Scholing had confessed everything and more once she was back at the police station.

Kevin, back home with his wife in North Dakota for the first time in twelve years, had also been arrested on three charges of bigamy, one being the woman Jessie had encountered with him at the airport.

'I hope he goes down', said Jessie.

'I don't really care if he does or not to be honest Jessie. I'm just glad, that thanks to you I'm free of all ties to Kevin Sampson and whats left of his business.'

'That reminds me, I forgot to tell you. Simon called the other day. He wants us to go and watch his final college wrestling match tomorrow evening. You want to go?'

'Sure, after all , I taught the guy everything he knows.'

'It won't upset you or anything?'

'Jessie, I'll be fine. I gave up competitive wrestling years ago. I only coached them.'

'Okay, why don't you give him a call later and let him know we are coming along?'

'Yeah I will. It will be good to catch up with Simon and the guys anyway.'

Jessie was relieved, Slater really did seem to be getting back to his old self. Not only that, some kind of calm seemed to have come over him, since he had dreamt about Janine in the hospital, a calm she hadn't seen in him ever before. And he was keener than ever about the movie they were making about his late sisters life.

'She may not be here with us anymore, but I just know she's okay and that she is watching over us', he had told her when they had been talking about Janine one night.

It was the last day of the elementary school term today and Slater had a doctors appointment, so Jessie took Zoe to school alone before work and bumped in to one of the other franctic Mum's at the school gate.

'Hey Mrs Pearson, what's up?'

'I know it won't bother you, but my caterer's arthritis is playing up and now she can't bake my daughters birthday cake.'

'Can't you just go and buy one?'

'I knew you would say that. I can't afford to buy one. My friend who was helping me out was making it for free and besides homemade ones taste better.'

'I'll buy you one.'

'Money's the answer to everything for you isn't it?'

'Not at all, but I find it does help to have it. Look Mrs Pearson, I don't know you that well, you and the other parents never really talk to Ms Turtle or I, but I was just trying to help. I wasn't trying to insult you. I was just thinking of your daughter being disappointed.'

'I'm sorry Mrs Spano-Slater, its just that I just found out yesterday my husband is leaving me for a younger woman.'

'Look, I don't have to go in to my office for another hour. Can I buy you a coffee?'

'Thank you Mrs Spano-Slater.'

'It's Jessie, please.'

'Karen.'

In the coffee shop between the school and Jessie's office building, Karen ordered a plain cup of coffee and Jessie ordered her regular peppermint tea.

'I might have known somenone like you wouldn't just drink ordinary coffee.'

'Trust me Karen, I like coffee, or rather it's the caffeine I like too much. I'm a caffeine addict, so I haven't touched the stuff in a good few years.'

'That doesn't surprise me the hours you keep.'

'Actually, since I've had Zoe I've tried to keep as normal hours as possible, well as normal as they can ever be for a lawyer. But I've been trying to keep them even more regular since my husband had a heart attack and had to give up his business.'

'I am sorry Jessie. We all just assumed your life was perfect. You always look like a perfect happy family, the way Zoe runs up to you both when you come to meet her after school. Is she your only child?'

'Yes and she was a miracle, they told me I couldn't and wouldn't ever have any children.'

'I'm sorry again Jessie, me and some of the other parents we got you all wrong. Your not a snob at all. I bet Ms Turtle is not the fashion bitch we all think she is either.'

'Lisa's been one of my best friends since school and she is far from a fashion bitch, her friend Berry is though, well before he retired. Would you like another coffee or am I keeping you from work?'

'My shift at the convenience store doesn't start until twelve. I work twelve until four there every day , six days a week.'

Jessie ordered more drinks and blueberry muffins for each of them.

'Now your spoiling me Jessie. Perhaps I could take a muffin home and give Stephanie the muffin for her birthday. The cake was my promise to her because I couldn't afford to give her a party this year. And with Don leaving, I doubt she will be getting one next year either.'

An idea was forming in Jessie's head, remembering something Slater had done the last time he had given up wrestling, way back in a high school and a bet they had had a few Christmas's ago, which had resulted in Slater baking a Christmas cake.

'Karen, I can't promise nothing, but I may be able to help out with the cake.'

Jessie dialled Slater at home, thinking he should be back from his check-up at the doctors by now.

'You busy?'

'As busy as watching daytime TV gets.'

'Okay, can you remember how to bake a cake?'

'Vaguely from that Christmas cake I made a few years back and from the cakes I made in school.'

'Do you think you could have a go and make a sponge cake today and ice it with happy birthday Stephanie?'

'I'll try Jessie, but I can't promise nothing, remember the disaster of the quiche that blew up ?'

'So quiche wasn't your forte, but I remember how delicious your cakes were in school and how scrumptious that Christmas cake was that you made not too many years ago.'

'Okay, I'll go to the grocery store and get the ingredients now.'

'Okay, I'll meet you at the school when we pick Zoe up this afternoon, make sure you bring the cake. Thanks Slater, I'll explain later.'

Jessie put the phone down and turned back to Karen.

'My husband is going to have a go at baking one for you, but don't get excited, he's a good cook, but he hasn't baked a sponge cake since he was in high school.'

'Thanks for trying Jessie, I'm sorry we haven't been very nice to you.'

'It's okay, I've never really made much of an effort with any of you either. I don't know why I never thought to invite any of you in when you have dropped your kids off for parties and sleepovers.'

'I guess your wondering how come Stephanie goes to school in such an affluent neighbourhood. When she started school, her Dad, my ex and I lied and said she lived with him and then changed her address to mine once she had been at the school a year. I didn't want her to go to school where I lived then or even where I live now with Don. Anyway I guess I will be moving again soon as my soon to be ex-husband will be moving his mistress in.'

'Karen, he can't make you and Stephanie homeless. There are laws against that sort of thing.'

'But that's what he said is going to happen. And what rights do I have? Stephanie isn't his child after all.'

'Karen, that hasn't anything to do with it. Look family law like this isn't really my speciality, but this is Lisa's husbands business card. He deals with a lot of family law. If he does try and make you leave, promise me you will call him.'

'Okay', said Karen , reluctantly putting the card in her pocket, thinking there wasn't much hope, despite what Jessie had said.

'Karen, I'm sorry to cut this short, its been nice talking to you, but I've really got to get to my office now. I'll see you back at the school later and hopefully with a birthday cake for Stephanie.'

In work Jessie found herself having another franctic day, she was beginning to wonder if there were any high profile couples left happy in LA or even California, they all seemed to be wanting a divorce right now, but then it was always the same in her office. And she still had a backlog of cases to deal with from when Slater had been in hospital and the two week she had taken off when he had first come home. But somehow at four o'clock, she was outside the school gates waiting for Zoe and Slater showed up with the cake as promised.

'I made two in the end, I bought so much ingredients. The other ones at home for us to eat, but here is the one I promised for you.'

'Thank you Slater, here comes Karen Pearson now, its for her daughter. You know Stephanie, she has been to a couple of parties of Zoe's.'

'Don't get too excited until you taste it', Slater warned Karen.

'I'm sure it will be fine, thanks again guys.'

Back home Slater showed off his handy work with the second cake. In pink icing he had written _I love Jessie and Zoe_.

'Think I had a sentimental moment. I was just experimenting and anyway, you might not love me anymore once you taste it', he joked to Jessie as he cut her and Zoe a slice each and then cut a much smaller amount for himself.

Jessie bit in to it, it tasted even better than the cakes he had made in school and the Christmas cake a few years back.

'Slater, that's delicious, what do you think Zoe?'

'It's yummy, can I have some more?'

'Maybe after dinner.'

'I got the recipe off my Mum, but it soon came back to me anyway. Mum's going to bring me over a cookbook tomorrow, maybe I can make some more. Even I can't watch sport all day long and as for daytime TV, I had enough of that the time we both had the flu bad.'

The next morning as Slater and Zoe waved Jessie off to work, Jessie got a phone call from Karen Pearson as she was walking down the road.

'Thank you so much for coming to the rescue again' , Karen said 'The cake was so delicious, its all gone.'

'Perhaps now schools out for summer, Stephanie can come over and play with Zoe one day', Jessie suggested.

'I'm sure Stephanie would like that. Stephanie is very shy, but Zoe is one of a few friends she has in class.'

Jessie had only just put the phone down to Karen, when she got another call, from Darren this time.

'Hi Darren, whats up?'

'I've just seen Lisa off on a plane to England. She got a call last night. Berry Dawson is seriously ill . He was seriously ill in hospital near where he lives in Devon, but now they moved him to a hospital in London. He had Lisa down as his next of kin. She's really upset and they wouldn't even tell her what was wrong over the phone. They just told her to get there as quick as she could. I left her at the airport in tears, but what could I do? We couldn't both go rushing off to London.'

'Oh dear, poor Lisa, poor Berry. Do you think he emigrated because he knew this was going to happen?', Jessie speculated.

'I really haven't a clue and I have to get off to the office now.'

'Me too, let me know if you hear anything Darren'.

As soon as she got in to the office, Jessie called Slater and told him what Darren had just told her.

'I 'm sorry to hear that, let me know when you hear anything too. Zoe and I are just about to start cooking. What cake would you like us to bake today?'

'Something really indulgent, how about toffee fudge?'

'Sounds sickenly sweet, but I'll give it a go.'

'I look forward to trying it later.'


	16. Chapter 16

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Sixteen

Lisa's Trip To England

It was the last week of the school year at the elementary school and this wasn't how Lisa had intended to spend it. Now she was going to have to miss the end of year awards ceremony and seeing Crystal in the school play. Okay, so the younger children only got to play things like trees and didn't have speaking parts, but it was still tearing Lisa's heart out that she was going to miss it all this year.

However, Darren would be there at the school to see Crystal perform and she was majorly worried about Berry. Berry didn't get ill ever, she didn't even remember him ever having the flu.

On the long flight to London she refused all offers of food and drink and tried to sleep, but she couldn't, it was no use. At this rate she was going to arrive looking as bad as Berry felt. She was used to crossing through time zones, she had become acclimatized to that over the years, but as the plane landed she felt more exhausted than she had ever done before, but there was no time for rest, she had to get to Berry and fast.

She hailed a cab to take her straight to the address she had been given. Outside she was shocked to find it was not a private hospital, but a hospice. Had Berry come here to die? Well of course he had, there could be no other explanation.

At the reception after Lisa explained who she was, she was shown to Berry's room. Berry looked half the size of when she saw him last, his face was sallow. He was almost like a skeleton.

'Lisa you came, I wasn't sure you would.'

'Berry, how long have you been here? '

'A month and they say I won't be here much longer.'

'Why didn't you tell me you were ill Berry?'

'Because I didn't want to belive it myself. I had met Greg, I was finally happy and then boom, it was all taken away from me. You see Lisa, I haven't been entirely honest with you. In fact, a while back, I lied to you. Remember that HIV test I went for, well it wasn't actually that. The truth is I've been a sufferer for ten years, that day I was actually going for the result to see if it had finally developed in to AIDS as I hadn't been feeling well. I never followed the healthy living guidelines for a sufferer, it's a wonder I lasted this long. I couldn't tell you any of that though, so when I got the results I had been dreading, I just decided to carry on and pretend everything was okay, to ignore it seemed the best way forward. That was part of the reason I went in to early retirement though, I wanted to enjoy my last days. I never expected it would happen this fast though.'

'Oh Berry, why didn't you ever tell me and why did you pretend it was all okay when it wasn't?'

'Because I decided I was going to have a normal life as possible and be treated as normal by everyone. I didn't want this thing to be about what I was. So many times I wanted to tell you Lisa, when I needed someone to talk to , but I always changed my mind. I couldn't have my closest friend treating me any different. Besides like I said, I just wanted to forget about the whole thing.'

'Oh Berry, you mean you've lived with this alone for ten years?'

'Except for potential partners I met. That was why most of them didn't want to know as soon as I told them. Greg was different but I left him when I knew my end was near.'

'What will I do without you Berry?'

'The same as you always have, just make sure my name lives on in the fashion world.'

'You're a legend in your own time already, you don't need me to do that.'

'Lisa, promise your stay with me now, until the end, I know its not far away.'

'I promise Berry.'

Over the next four days when Berry was asleep she cried, when he was awake they relived some of their happiest times together and then finally he told her goodbye and died as she held his hand.

Lisa then went about arranging a small funeral for Berry and putting his obituary in the papers. Just Lisa and Greg , the partner he had finally been happy with and a few colleagues from the fashion world here in London attended the small funeral.

Two weeks after she arrived, she finally took a flight home, having spent a whole day resting in her hotel room. She still couldn't get over the fact that Berry was gone.

When she arrived at LAX Darren was waiting for her, having dropped Crystal off with Jessie and Slater. As soon as Lisa came through the arrivals hall he took her in his arms.

'Oh Darren, it was awful', she was crying again.

'Come on, lets go home, we can pick Crystal up on the way.'

'I can't believe I had to miss her school play.'

'It's okay Lisa, she understands. We got it on DVD for you to watch anyway.'

'Thanks Darren, I really need cheering up right now, I still can't believe it, it was all so fast as well. How is everyone else anyway?'

'Well Paul came home for the weekend after his graduation and had a joint party with Josie and Nicola. And Josie met up with Martin Belding again.'

'Martin, whats he up to these days?'

'He's a manager at one of the sports stores in the palisades mall.'

'It's only been two weeks, but it just feels like I've been totally out of the loop.'

'You haven't heard about Sophie Morris yet. At her graduation party she met this guy Simon, the captain of the college wrestling team that Slater used to coach. To cut a long story short, Sophie now has a travelling companion on her European travels this summer.

When they arrived at Jessie and Slater's house, Lisa didn't think she had ever been so pleased to see Crystal.

'I missed you so much', she hugged her daughter.

'Is Uncle Berry better?'

'No honey, the doctors couldn't make him better. He's gone to heaven.'

'We can't do that Crystal.'

'Not even if we get enough ladders together so we can climb them and reach the sky and visit?'

'No Crystal, but it's a nice idea, but the living can't go and visit people who have died and gone to heaven.'

'You mean I'm never going to see Uncle Berry again?'

'I'm afraid so Crystal.'

That was when Crystal started crying and that set Lisa off again too.

'I know how you feel Crystal. I 'm going to miss him so much too. He was my friend for so many years.'

'Now both my girls need cheering up', said Darren, wishing he could make it better for both his wife and daughter.

'You could try some of Slater's cappuccino cake', Jessie suggested going back to them with the cake at the other side of the lounge.

'Looks delicious as usual. Can we take it home? I want to take my girls out to dinner first.'

'Sure Darren, just make sure you save your sweet to have at home.'

Even Lisa managed a slight smile then. Darren took them to dinner at their favourite Italian restaurant and at least Lisa and Crystal seemed to have cheered up a little the time the coffee's arrived.

At home they tucked in to Slater's cake as they watched the DVD of the end of term elementary school play.

'Crystal, you played a fantastic tree.'

'Next year our teacher said we will be old enough to have small speaking parts.'

'I promise I'll be there next year Crystal.'

When Crystal was in bed, Lisa and Darren sat down together in their lounge.

'Lisa, don't you think its time we took a real vacation? We've both had a real stressful year so far.'

'I could do with a couple of weeks away before I get back to work on my new collections and the upcoming college semester, but I think I'm done with long haul travel for a while.'

'I was thinking maybe we could go down to the Florida keys, perhaps stop by and visit your parents along the way.'

'Darren, that's the best idea I've heard in a long time, I could really do with some relaxation. But before we go, I want to catch up with my friend properly. Lets throw a party. They all knew Berry, we can call it a celebration of his life and work while celebrating, the way he always liked too.'

'In that case, I'll go order a dozen cases of champagne.'

'And the finest food of course. Talking of which, I'm going to have to polish off the rest of that cappuccino cake now. I can't leave it there until the morning.'

'Worried I might finish it off if I'm hungry in the night?'

'Something like that. Okay, I'm a reasonable woman, we can share the last of it together.'

'I am so glad my Lisa's back.'

'And I'm so glad Slater took up baking cakes', joked Lisa, taking another bite 'But seriously Darren, its so good to be back home where I belong. It was awful in that place, watching Berry just fade away before my eyes.'

Darren pulled her close again, he had a feeling it was going to take her a long time to get over Berry's death. After all, there was never a celebrity quite like Berry and they had been close friends for so many years, inside the industry and outside of it. The media had called Berry's death a great loss to the 21st century fashion world and nearly every magazine and newspaper had done a tribute feature on Berry and his work over the years.

'At least Berry will be old news soon, then I won't have to open a newspaper and be reminded of it every day.'

When Lisa couldn't sleep later that night, she took out an old album she and Berry had put together of their designs frome their graduate shows at FIT. She decided as a tribute to Berry , she would teach her students about his work and designs from the fall and she would take the album and the other pictures she had of she and Berry's early work, to show her students that everyone had to start somewhere.

'The nineties, it really was the decade fashion forgot', she said out loud to herself 'But Berry and I still managed to design stuff that got noticed.'

She fell asleep over her lounge table looking at some of her other old work from when she was at FIT.


	17. Chapter 17

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Seventeen

Screech's Expensive Summer

This had been an expensive summer for Screech so far, what with both Paul and Josie graduating college and Nicola gaining her doctorate. At first he and Nicola hadn't been able to decide what to get Josie and Paul for their college graduation presents. Josie wasn't in to sports so much since she had really got in to computer science and working with Kevin the robot. Now Paul had started working at the San Francisco gym he rarely had time to play squash anymore and certainly not competitively. In the end they had decided to go for something classic and useful and had bought them both a gold watch each.

Then after their now grown up children were sorted, Screech had the problem of Nicola's present. He had bought her a watch also , but wanted to get her something else as well. Josie and Paul had bought Nicola a briefcase between them and put Joeseph's name to it too. They thought it would be perfect for when she started as a full time professor in the fall.

In the end Screech had just gone for it and bought her a whole bag full of goodies, including a new cellphone as she had been carrying the same one around for three years and the technology was getting dated on it and also a new gold necklace and ring with her birth stone.

Screech was also once again doing a lot of private tutor work during the summer, mostly to pay for the graduation presents. The first couple of weeks of summer vacation had been so hectic, Screech was glad all the graduation ceremonies were over now. Josie had a summer job at the store where now Martin worked and Paul was happy with his job at the gym. Joseph was always happy, as long as he could get up to mischief with Travis a couple of times a week.

It was when Joseph was at day camp that Josie came home in the middle of the day in tears.

'Okay Josie, what has Martin Belding done to upset you now? That young man is such a womaniser, so unlike his Father.'

'He fired me.'

'What? Why?'

'He said that since we were dating again, it wasn't really a good idea for us to work together. I think really, he likes another girl at the store and just wanted me out of the way so he could hit on her.'

'Josie, you're a beautiful , intelligent young woman. Guys must be queuing up to go out with you, so why do you keep going back to Martin?'

'Because I love him. I always have, ever since the day I met him.'

'Oh dear. I'm sorry Josie. I should know you can't help who you fall in love with. It hurts even more when your not loved back though doesn't it?'

'More than you know.'

'Trust me Josie, I do know how much that hurts. But what do you say we go and spend some time with the one guy guraranteed not to hurt you? The parts for Kevin's latest modification came today.'

Screech and Josie spent the next three hours working on Kevin and left Josie to keep working on him when the phone rang. It was Paul.

'Dad, I've quit my job. I'm getting a flight back home to LA tonight, can I come home for a while?'

'Sure you can Paul, it is your home. But why? I thought you liked working at the gym.'

'I do, I mean I did, but I didn't like who I was working for. I kind of feel guilty that I worked for Kevin Sampson now.'

'But it never bothered you before Paul. We had a long talk about this when you were trying to decide if you were still going to take the job or not. Even Slater himself told you to go for it.'

'I know and I was happy, until two days ago when I met Kevin and a couple of his latest bimbo's. Kevin Sampson is so nasty, I don't want to work for someone like that.'

'Okay Paul, but you will have to find another job here at home. You can't just bum around the house, we didn't put you through college for four years for that.'

'I know that Dad. There are so many other gym chains I can apply to. And in the meantime I can get a job as a waiter or working in a store.'

'Well Paul, it does sound like you have thought it all out. Do you want me to pick you up at the airport?'

'Thanks Dad. I mailed a lot of my stuff this afternoon, because of my flight baggage allowance. You know how daft the limit is on commuter flights.'

Being at the airport always gave Screech a strange feeling of excitement, seeing where flights were going and arriving from. An excitement Nicola had forgotten many years ago. After all her years flying, airports were now among Nicola's least favourite places. But she had come along with the whole family to meet Paul off of his flight anyway.'

'Hey Joseph, isn't it great your big brothers coming home to live for a while', Said Nicola.

'He's too old to play with Travis and I', Joseph replied, not really that bothered.

Joseph was too busy thinking of the next day and Travis's Dad's promise that he was going to take them to the beach to build sandcastles.

When Paul came off the flight, they made straight for home and Screech stayed up talking to his eldest son until the early hours.

'So Paul what did Kevin do that you thought was so nasty?'

'He was horrible to one of the members, a member that was paying good money for the privelege of being there. He told the poor woman she was fat and that her image wasn't what he wanted to see at his gym. He then told her she should find herself a lesser well known gym.'

'It sounds like Kevin has got worse since he got away with suspended sentences on the bigamy charges.'

'And he was really cocky about all that too Dad. He was out of North Dakota as soon as he knew he was in the clear.'

'I was going to say he never used to be like that in the gyms, but from what Slater tells me, he spent most of his time in the offices anyway, leaving Slater and the managers to deal with the members.'

'He really was awful to work for Dad. It was fine when he wasn't around and the manager was running the place, but as soon as Kevin came back, I just didn't want to be there. I'd rather go and be a waiter at The Max, than work for him.'

'Can't say I blame you son. Anyway I'm sure there are lots of gym chains out there that will snap you up.'

'I hope so, career wise, it is what I want to do, despite a dodgy start.'

'I'm sure it will all turn out fine Paul and it will be good to have you home for a while.'

'Thanks Dad. I was also thinking, I might take a trip to see Mum's grave soon. I know it's a long way , but its also a long while since I had the chance to go.'

Screech was quiet for a moment, college and his whirlwind romance with Linda seemed like a whole different lifetime ago now.

'It doesn't upset you does it Dad? You know me talking about Mum?'

'Of course not Paul. It's a nice idea you should go. And your Mum and I, you know I'll never forget her, but I was just thinking it all seems so long ago now.'

'Of course it would Dad. I'm going to turn twenty-two next month remember.'

'Thanks Paul, now your really making me feel old.'

'No Dad, old is what you will be when Joseph is my age.'

'You really know how to make someone feel good about themselves Paul.'

'I was just kidding Dad. Hey, now I'm home, maybe we can go and play squash together again sometime.'

'Don't be daft Paul, you know how pointless that would be. How about chess? Now that's more of an even match.'

'Okay Dad, your on, sometime, you know if I'm not working or haven't got a date.'

'I get it , a game of chess with your old Dad if you need something to fufil you boredom.'

'Seriously though Dad, all joking aside, it does feel good to be home.'

'Its good to have you back, until you fly the nest of course, I'm sure that's not far away.'

'Fly the nest. Dad, until I came to live with you, because of my so called grandparents I never knew what it was like to have a real home or to be part of a family. That was another reason I was so happy when you and Nicola got married. I never felt part of a family before.'

'I just wish I had known about you sooner Paul. The way you walked in to my life was a shock, but I'm so glad you did. Have you seen the time Paul? Its almost four in the morning.'

'That's alright, I haven't got to be anywhere tomorrow or should I say today?'

'Maybe you haven't, but I've got some junior high kids to tutor this afternoon. I need to get some sleep. No doubt I'll be seeing you much later today.'

'I don't know, kids, nothing they do should be a surprise, yet it always is', said Screech as he walked in to the bedroom to find Nicola awake and looking out of the window. 'What are you doing still awake anyway?'

'I was just thinking and started feeling a little nervous. You know all my studying is finished now, in a few weeks I'm starting a whole new career and its quite daunting really.'

'Nicola, your going to do great and you already know your good at teaching the students. I'm so proud of you.'

'I know that Sam. I could never have done it without you. I love you Sam.' She threw her arms around him and they stood looking out of the window together.

'I love you Nicola. I've loved you since the moment we first met. I never for a moment believed our kids would stop being obsessed with squash one day. I'm glad they were obsessed with the sport in school though or we might never have met.'

'That doesn't bare thinking about. The way we met Sam, it was defiantly fate.'


	18. Chapter 18

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eighteen

Summer Cal U Reunion

Part One

'Why are you having a college reunion in July at Cal U?', Jessie asked Screech, Slater, Zack and Kelly after they finished their band practice one Friday night.

'Because Mike Rogers organised it', Screech explained 'And you know what he is like about football. There's no major league football to miss in July.'

'The idea gets my vote', said Slater.

'Mine too', agreed Zack.

'Not only that, it's a good time for all of us to be able to get up there together for the weekend. You are coming aren't you Jessie?'

'Why would I want to come Screech? I never went to Cal U.'

'It won't be the same if you don't come along Jessie. Besides its only really a reunion of our dorm from freshman year, more of a get together with Mike and Judith really.'

'Okay Kelly, you've talked me in to it.'

'That will please Mum and Dad too. They keep saying they don't get to spend half as much time with Zoe as they used to.'

'Looks like all the kids are spending a weekend with their grandparents then', said Zack, putting his guitar back down. 'It will be great to see Mike, Alex and Lesley again.'

'Nicola, I'm so glad your coming along too. It looks like we are going to have to listen to these guys talk about people all those years ago that we have never even heard of.'

'At least we will have each other to talk to Jessie.'

'Okay guys, listen up', Slater gave a drum roll to get everyones attention. 'I'll make the cake for next weekend like you asked and I'll bring the cake for next weekend like you asked, but nobody is to tell anyone up at Cal U that I baked it. I don't want Mike Rogers finding out the jock has become a cook.'

'Slater, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.'

'Jessie, you don't understand. You weren't there at Cal U with us. Please, just play along.'

'Okay for you , just this once', Jessie reluctantly agreed.

'So who is going to take responsibility for baking the cake we are taking?', Kelly asked.

'Jessie', said Slater and everyone else burst out laughing, including Jessie.

'Slater, you know I can't cook. Can't you put the blame on someone else?'

'No Jessie, its perfect. You see they would know full well that Screech didn't bake it, because he had so many cooking disasters in college. They also know that Zack and Kelly don't really bake that kind of thing, Chinese and Italian was always there thing in college and not much has changed there.'

'What about Nicola?', suggested Jessie

'Wouldn't work', Screech told them 'We had a whole conversation about culinary skills with Mike and Judith when we went up to visit Paul at Cal U once. Nicola told them she had always had to buy Josie's birthday cakes.

'Okay then, reinvent me as a domestic goddess overnight', Jessie agreed again, still thinking the whole idea rather silly.

'Jessie we know you don't know one end of a recipe from the other but the point is Mike and the others don't know that', Slater kissed her on the cheek and then they all started to talk some more about the following weekend.

It was the last weekend of July and after dropping the children off with their respective grandparents, they all headed off to Cal U in the mini-van Zack had hired. They set out early on the Saturday morning.

'Mike told us he arranged for us to meet at our old dorm seeing as its empty for the summer', Zack told them as they finally pulled in to the parking lot mid-afternoon.

'This really feels like going back in time', Kelly followed Zack through the door of their old dorm and up to their old suite.

'I almost feel like singing _Those Were the Days my friend_', Screech told them as they reached the door of their old suite.

Mike opened the door and greeted them all. He and Judith had arranged a buffet lunch for them in the lounge.

'It was brought in by outside caterers. I thought we best not have another repeat of a certain thanksgiving meal that went wrong.'

'Hey, I've learnt to cook since then', protested Lesley, who had arrived just minutes before and came over to greet them all and to introduce them to her husband Logan.

'Well, we brought a cake, homemade by my wife Jessie here.'

'Nice to meet you Jessie' Lesley shook her hand 'The cake looks delicious.'

'Did someone mention cake?', Alex had just arrived and did a whole round of hugging her old suite mates and Jessie who she had met at Zack and Kelly's wedding. Then she introduced herself to Nicola and then introduced her husband Dean to the gang.

'Looks like we are all here, so lets tuck in to all this delicious food. I can't wait to get a slice of that cake.'

The old suitemates looked at Mike. He had lost a lot of weight since they were in college and he looked very young for his age right now.

'I know what you guys are thinking. I still like my cake and cookies, I just don't eat as much of them as I used to.'

'I know how that feels', said Slater, whose diet was now even healthier than it had been before.

'You got to be kidding me Slater. The amount of heavy exercise you did, you could always pack what you liked away and not put on fat.'

'Yeah well, that was a long time ago Mike and a lot can change.'

No one had told Mike about Slater's heart attack and he had asked them all not to mention it. They had all agreed, though none of them could understand why. It wasn't like it was anything to be ashamed of.

'So Alex, how about you?', Mike asked 'Still going from one crazy diet to another?'

'No Mike. I'm on a different kind of diet now. These days I barely have time to eat. I'm finally going to be on the big screen. My first Hollywood role after all these years in theatre. It is only a small role, but I've just been dying to tell you all.'

'Congratulations Alex. What sort of role is it?'

'I'm just playing the wife of some guy whose sister gets killed, while in military service , but off duty. It's a fantastic script and its based on a true story.'

'Alex, is the working title _Unsung Hero_?'

'Yes, how did you know Slater?'

'Because that's the movie Dan Taylor is making about my late sister Janine.'

'The lead is the part I went out for originally, but they said they wanted someone more well known for that. Hang on, I've just realised, this is so weird. I'm an old girlfriend of yours from way back, but now I'm playing your wife here in the movie.'

'Actually Alex, your playing a character called Anne, based on me. Dan agreed not to use our real names, except for Janine of course. That is the whole point. Who they got to play Slater anyway, or the role to be known as Jay should I say?'

'He's an unknown too. A man called Rick Rhodes. That's how I was lucky, Dan wanted to use unkowns for all the minor roles, so everyone will really focus on Cynthia Larson playing Janine.'

Once Alex finally stopped talking about her new acting role, Mike asked Lesley what she was up to these days.

'Well Logan and I both come from old money. We play the stock markets and do a lot of voluntary work, as well as looking after our two kids that are both now in junior high. Caroline's twelve and Samantha's thirteen', Lesley showed them pictures. Both girls were the spitting image of Lesley with their blonde hair and blue eyes.

'And how about you two, still keeping the world of medicine and teaching busy?', Mike looked at Kelly, Zack and Screech.

'They certainly keep us busy', Screech told him 'And Nicola is starting as a professor at USC in the fall as well.'

'Wow. And Jessie I may not know you, but I know I don't have to ask about what you get up to. I've watched your 'no comment' on the tv news after celebrity divorce cases more times than I can remember. But Slater, you still haven't told me what your up to these days.'

'Well as you probably know Kevin bought me out of what was left of the gyms. It doesn't take two of us to run two gyms. I'm kind of looking for a new direction now.'

'You should start some gyms of your own or set yourself up as a wrestling coach. You used to do a bit of that anyway didn't you?'

'Yes, but I don't want to do that anymore Mike. I want to have a go at something different now. I guess I should thank you for making me dump that silly jock schedule freshman year, otherwise I wouldn't have anything to fall back on now.'

Really Slater just wanted to move on from this whole conversation. It was making him feel depressed. How many times had he lifted free weights in this dorm. He had been doing things like that since his teens and now he couldn't do that anymore. The same went for wrestling, even though he had only coached it for years, but that was out too.

'Why don't we all try some of Jessie's cake', Slater suggested.

It was no surprise that everyone raved about the cake to Jessie and she thought Slater was nuts for not taking credit for it.

'Jessie, this is the first time in years I haven't been able to restrain myself from a second slice of cake', Mike eagerly helped himself to another slice.

'It is most delicious', agreed Judith, also helping herself to a second slice.

'I'm beginning to think I should have baked two', said Jessie.

'Jessie, you have to give me the recipe to give to our cook', said Lesley finishing off her slice.

Jessie realised that could be quite difficult. Now Slater had really got in to the swing of cooking, he didn't always use a recipe apart from the basics and that was exactly what he had done this time.

When they had finished eating they took a look in to their old bedrooms. The bunk beds were still there in the room where Zack, Slater and Screech had slept, but the room Kelly, Alex and Lesley had shared also now had bunk beds instead of three singles.

'It seems like there is so much more space with the room like this', said Kelly.

'That would have made no difference for you Kelly, you had so many shoes, Alex and I couldn't fit ours in the closet and had to store them under our beds.'

'Nothing has changed much then', said Zack. Shoes were still Kelly's weakness even now.

'I blame it on being close friends with Lisa Turtle since childhood', Kelly smiled.

'Then how come I don't own that many shoes Kelly?'

'Because you Jessie always went to the bookshop when Lisa and I went to the shoe shop.'

'Remember when Screech had to wear a pair of Kelly's shoes to Professor Reich's funeral? '. It may have been a sad occasion but all these years later, Lesley couldn't help but smile at the memory.

'And there is my point, you can never have too many pairs of shoes'. laughed Kelly.


	19. Chapter 19

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Nineteen

Summer Cal U Reunion

Part Two

They all stayed in a hotel overnight in San Francisco and met Mike back at the campus the next morning. Mike had just restored the suite to its former glory, ready for its new inhabitants in September.

'So what do you guys feel like doing today? Judith's got to do some work at home, so maybe we could do something outdoors, it's a nice day. Maybe we could do lunch and then a kick about or Frisbee in the park.'

'How about a picnic in the park?', suggested Kelly.

'Trust you to think of that', said Lesley, who wasn't keen on picnics. 'There is a really nice restaurant we got to all the time near here. We could go there for lunch.'

'If you're a regular customer its probably out of everyone elses price range', pointed out Kelly.

'Kelly, its just a regular restaurant that does really nice seafood.'

'I'd still rather have a picnic.'

'Can you two please stop arguing about this, your beginning to sound like a couple of kids', Mike pointed out, it was so easy to fall back in to the role of their old RA.

'Okay then, I'll make a decision', Screech told them 'I say we go to the restaurant and then go to the park afterwards. Just count me out of any of the sporting activities.'

'I'll talk you in to it later' , Mike warned him. Mike already had a football, a soccer ball, basketball and a Frisbee ready to take to the park.

Lesley had certainly been right about how good the restaurant was and in the end she and Logan had picked up the bill as a treat to everyone. At the park they sat round talking for a while and then Mike decided it was time for a game of soccer. He would have liked to have a go at football, but he didn't think the women would be up much for that and besides team numbers were easier to adapt in a fun game of soccer. Alex was the only one that wasn't really keen on playing, so they made her the referee and played four a side, women against the men.

It was Slater that suggested they call it quits after they had been playing a while and the women were beating the men four to three. Mike , however, despite being the oldest guy on the team, did not want to give up.

'Slater are you nuts? At least carry on until we equalise with them.'

'Sorry Mike, I can't.'

Slater knew he couldn't do anymore. His doctors were always warning him not to overdo the exercise he could and to always rest when he knew he was tired. And it may have just been a relaxed, fun game but it was a long time since he had done any exercise other than swim or walk long distances and it had really worn him out.

'I never thought I would see the day when AC Slater just walked away and let the women win', said Mike, sitting back down next to everyone on the field.

'Okay, enough rest, anyone up for Frisbee?'

Everyone got up except for Jessie and Slater.

'It's okay, you and I can just watch', Jessie said and then turned to Slater. 'Why do you have to put on such an act for your old RA? I could see you were wearing yourself out there and if you hadn't quit when you did, I was going to call for an end to the game.'

'You don't understand Jessie, no one can.'

'Try me.'

'Its hard to explain Jessie and its hard for me. Look over there, there is Mike. The man is seventeen years older than me, but he can still run round a field, not get worn out and not have to worry about his health. He is still known as a sportsman, a jock, if a retired one. It's who he is and what he will always be, despite the fact that professionally he is a professor now. Apart from him being a professor, he represents everything that I used to be and can't be anymore. Mike always used to come and watch me wrestle in college. I just feel like I 've lost my identity. How would you feel if all of a sudden you couldn't practice law anymore?'

'Slater I would be totally lost. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Law has been part of my life forever.'

'Now you know how I feel and I really hope it never happens to you. The truth is Jessie, I just don't know what to do with myself career wise now. Its like being fifteen again and wondering around careers day without having any idea what I was interested in.'

'You could always sell your delicious cakes.'

'Very funny Jessie and keep it down will you. You can't make a career out of baking cakes.'

'Oh yeah, then what about Sara Lee and Mr Kipling?'

'No Jessie, that's my hobby. And I don't want to go and work in a restataurant, chef's hours are worse than the ones you sometimes keep and that saying something.'

'Point taken. I'm sorry its getting you down Slater. Why didn't you say anything before?'

'Because I 'm still having a hard time accepting all this myself. It's been nice seeing these guys again, but I think I'm ready to go home now.'

'I'll go and ask Zack and Kelly if they are ready to leave.'

As it turned out everyone else was ready to call it a day and they all gathered to say their goodbyes.

'Slater I almost forgot, are you free for the alumni versus students wrestling match freshers week?'

'They never did that freshers week when we were at Cal U.'

'It's a new thing Slater, a chance for the freshers to see just how seriously we take sport at Cal U and the level they are up against. I remember what a shock that was to you at first.'

'You needn't remind me about that Mike.'

'So you up for it?'

'Sure, put me down.'

'Great, the alumni team may even have a chance of winning this year with you on board.'

They all said their goodbyes and promises to keep in touch more often as usual, even though they rarely did.

It wasn't until they were on the freeway that Jessie asked Slater what the hell he thought he was doing agreeing to the alumni match.

'Relax, I'll invent an excuse a couple of days beforehand. For just a few seconds, I wanted to be the me that could take part in that kind of sport again.'

'Maybe one day , you can.'

'Not according to my doctors and the fact the risk of another attack is high, especially in the first year.'

'And if doctors were right about everything, we wouldn't have a beautiful daughter to go home too.'

'That's different, but thanks for trying to cheer me up.'

The mini-van broke down on the way home, so they all sat for four hours at a diner just off the freeway while waiting for the breakdown services to arrive to take them back to LA.

'Next time you guys have a college reunion, I suggest you just fly', said Nicola, who then decided to order herself some more coffee.

'Oh no Nicola, you don't understand. Disasterous road trips are a tradition with us. Mike lent us his car to drive home in one thanksgiving and it broke down. Zack landed us in prison after he got caught speeding on the way to Vegas and Lisa's car also broke down on the way to Vegas', Slater smiled at the memories of those trips.

'I think we should break the unlucky tradition and fly next time too', said Kelly, who was more worried if Travis was playing his grandparents up. Zack's Mum was going to bring him over in the morning. She was almost glad that being school vacation it was Zack going to be stuck at home with him playing up and not her. She knew he was going to play up , that was a certainty. They had told him they would be home tonight and now they weren't going to be early enough to pick him up. At this rate they would be lucky if they got home by two in the morning.

Jessie was also worried about the time it was going to be when they finally made it home.

'I'm in court tomorrow afternoon as well. I'm glad its not a morning hearing and I'm also glad this isn't a major case and the soon to be ex-couple aren't at constant loggerheads with each other. They have just had a few disagreements that have led to it becoming a contested divorce.'

They finally made it back to their part of LA at three in the morning, but for Zack and Kelly there was going to be no home of sleep, as there in the middle of their lounge was Sophie, watching a chat show they had never heard of and drinking a cup of coffee. But she wasn't alone, Simon was with her and they looked very cosy.

'Sophie, you frightened the life out of us. What are you doing here?'

'Sophie, what your Mum meant ws your are supposed to be in Europe having some fun. You aren't due home for another three weeks.'

'We did have some fun Dad, Europe was fantastic. Thank you so much for the trip.'

'So why did you cut it short if you had such a great time? Don't tell me you went over your budget and ran out of money?'

'Sort of Mum. The trip just turned out to be a little more expensive than I thought it was.'

'So you never got to Corfu?'

'No we did London, Rome, Madrid and Paris. Then we flew home from Paris. Paris was the highlight of the trip.'

'Let me guess, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the louvre ?'

'We were only in Paris two days Dad and one of them in the morning, we were busy getting married.'

'What?', Zack and Kelly both said, shocked, at the same time.

Sophie had always been so predictable and generally sensible except for the time in her teens when she lost it over her SAT's results, so now both Zack and Kelly, were absolutely , genuinely , gob smacked.

'And how are you going to make this work?', Kelly looked at her daughter.

'What do you mean Mum?'

'I mean in a few weeks your going to law school at Stanford and Simon's starting his senior year at USC.'

'We've worked all that out Mum. For just a year we will be a distance couple and its not really long distance so we can be together for holidays and some weekends.'

'Did you not want to have a big wedding Sophie?'

'I used to think so, but then when I met Simon, all I knew was that I wanted to be with him forever and that I wanted to make that commitment as soon as possible.'

'That's exactly how I feel about Sophie too, Mr and Mrs Morris. I just had to ask her to marry me as soon as possible. I'm already planning to move up to near Stanford and find a job up there when I finish USC. We just have to be together, always.'

Zack understood what Simon meant, he had exactly that to kelly the night he proposed to her. And yet, even though his daughter was twenty years old, a year older than he and Kelly had been when they got married, it was still hard to accept his little girl was now a married woman.

'I think we all need some sleep now, I certainly do. I just hope your little brother doesn't play up tomorrow.'

'Travis, not play up, your be lucky Dad.'


	20. Chapter 20

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty

Changes

When not on tour the orchestra Ben was with rehearsed from nine in the morning most days. When Ben got up to get some breakfast, he wasn't surprised to see his Mum making breakfast before she headed to work, but he was surprised at the number of settings at the table.

'Hey, Mum, you expecting some guests fro breakfast?'

'Just your sister and her husband. I'll leave her to explain. Here are the happy couple now.'

Ben was just as shocked as his parents had been. He couldn't believe his big sister had gone off to Europe and come back married. Now, it made it seem more real than ever that they weren't kids anymore. And that was somehow scary and exciting at the same time.

'Congratulations ', he told them, once he was over the initial shock 'And I guess that means I've just gained a brother a little closer to my own age. I've got to get to work now anyway. It still feels strange calling something I love work and getting paid for it.'

'I'm hoping to go out for a professional football squad when I graduate. I've got to do my best in all the games we play this coming season', Simon told them all.

'Your not thinking about graduate school yourself then Simon?', Zack asked.

'No way. I've had enough of school as it is, I think I'll just about make the end of my senior year.

Simon and Sophie left the house shortly after Ben, they were off to visit some friends to tell them their good news and Kelly was just leaving for work when Zack's Mum arrived with Travis.

'Hi Mum, you better come in for a while. I've got something to tell you.'

When he had made coffee for themselves and given Travis some juice, he sat back down with them at the table.

'It's about Sophie. She has sort of followed in Kelly and I's footsteps and got married at a young age…………………..', Zack explained the shock they had had of finding them both here at home when they arrived in the early hours back from Cal U.

Over the next few weeks, before the school and college terms started again, the Morris's adapted to having Simon around. Zack and Kelly threw them a small party so friends and family could congratulate them. Unfortunately, none of Simon's family could make it from Alaska. That was when it occurred to both Zack and Kelly that they didn't know a thing about the man Kelly had married or his family background. All that they knew about him, was he loved Kelly, he was well liked and one of USC's sports stars, especially in wrestling and football.

'So what do your parents think about your whirlwind romance and wedding to Sophie?', Kelly had asked him.

'Nothing. They are both deceased. They died when I was twelve.'

'I'm sorry Simon.'

'That's okay, you weren't to know. They left me a college fund, but until I was eighteen and came here to college I was in and out of different foster homes.'

'Don't you have any other family in Alaska?'

'One elderly Aunt. She is in her late seventies and has a lot of health problems, so she couldn't really take care of me when my parents died. My Dad was an only child and my Mum had just the one sister and my Aunt is twenty years older than she was.'

'I'm sorry Simon. I didn't mean to be nosey. Anyway , now your married to Sophie, your part of a big family of now. When my parents have a get together with all my brothers and sisters and all their kids, they have to hire a function room larger than this and I'm not kidding. I know there is only a few of them here today because of the short notice we gave for your party, but you just wait until one of my parents birthdays.

'I'll look forward to it', Simon told her and then he went to catch up with Sophie for a dance.

Kelly went to rejoin Lisa and Zack who were talking at the bar.

'Another wedding dress I didn't get to design and make', said Lisa.

'From the pictures we have seen, they got married in shorts and t-shirts on a really hot Paris day.'

'Paris, a girl after my own heart. Did I tell you while Darren and I were in Florida we bought a holiday place in Key West?'

'No , you haven't mentioned it.'

'Well we did and at some point we want you all to come away there with us, its huge, room for everyone. We were even thinking about inviting everyone for Christmas.

'Lisa, what a great idea Remember all the fun we had the last time we spent Christmas together.'

'Yeah, who could forget that? We did buy something else recently too, but I want to tell everyone about that together another time and that's a little closer to home.

The evening had gone quick and it was time for the last dance, Lisa and Darren made their way to the dance floor followed by Zack and Kelly.

'Do you think Sophie and Simon will be as happy as us?', Kelly asked as they watched Simon and Sophie on the dance floor.

'I sure as hell hope so Kelly. I'd hate for her to get hurt. Just as long as they don't enter any dance contests.'

Simon wasn't the best dancer in the world and it showed.

'They will be fine. I don't think dancing is their thing anyway. She's always got her head in a book and from what I hear he spends all his spare time playing sports. We should go to one of his matches sometime and see if he really is as good as everyone seems to think.'

When the last week of August arrived Sophie and Simon said a tearful goodbye as she headed off back to Stanford to start law school and he moved back to the dorms at USC for his senior year. They were already making plans for Simon's first weekend visit up to Stanford.

The week after that, Bayside High started back and Zack had a freshman homeroom this year.

'You've had two years of tough senior classes Zack, so I thought I would give you a rest this year', Screech told him when they arrived for their first morning back.

It wasn't really going to make much difference to Zack anyway as all the business studies classes he taught were junior and senior electives. But after the summer he had had, he was just looking forward to getting back to routine. And that had already begun at breakfast that monring, when Travis had said he was too tired to go to school, having made a real fuss about being put to bed early the night before. As soon as they got him in bed and put the lights out, they knew what he did. He would put the lights back on, read his book, play his DS and one night they had even caught him building lego in his room at 3am.

Travis's eye's had lit up at the school gates though when he saw Joseph and a couple of his other friends.

'No falling asleep in class today Travis', Zack had warned him 'you can sleep when you come home from school. That's why you need to go to sleep earlier at night.'

Zack knew he had been wasting his breath as childhood memories of his own came flooding back, but it still didn't stop him trying with Travis.

Zack knew Kelly was having a late surgery that evening but there was also a fun friendly football match on with Valley over at Bayside, so Zack had volunteered to collect Travis and Joseph from their school and bring them back to Bayside to watch the match.

When he got there, it didn't surprise Zack that Travis's new teacher wanted to talk to him.

'Has he been falling asleep in class?', Zack asked her.

'No , but he doesn't appear to have any interest in class.'

'Travis does have a lot of trouble sleeping at night', Zack was still going to defend his son.

'Well he really needs to get a good nights sleep Mr Morris or he is going to get really bad grades.'

Zack looked at this new teacher, Miss Sankson, she could only have been a couple of years older than Sophie.

'Miss Sankson, when you have children of your own you will come to realise things aren't really that simple. I have to go and we are really trying to get him to sleep at night, I promise you.'

He didn't tell her that he taught high school himself. He was saving that one for when she really got to him. He had a feeling the Morris family were not going to get on with Miss Sankson.

'So, Travis, Joseph, what do you think of your new teacher?', he asked them in the car on the way back over to Bayside.

'She's nice, but not as nice as our teacher that retired', Joseph said.

'I don't like her', Travis informed them ' she kept picking on me with questions all the time and then all I did was ask to borrow a pencil from Joseph and she made us all move our desks, so we now have to sit at opposite ends of the classroom.'

This news didn't surprise Zack at all.

'At least we can all have some fun now and watch some football. I know its only a friendly game between Bayside and Valley, but you got to remember they are old rivals, so of course we want the Bayside Tigers to win don't we?'

'Go Tigers', said Travis, who had learnt the saying from his parents.

As it turned out the Bayside Tigers did win, they had a strong varsity team this year. And for once, Travis was so tired, at home, he told his parents he wanted to go to bed right after he had eaten his dinner. Zack had only got through two pages of his sons favourite story before he was fast asleep. When Kelly came home exhausted from her evening surgery, Travis had already been asleep for two hours.

'This has to be a first, Travis asleep before I even got home.'

'I think it all caught up with him, especially after him not sleeping much at all last night. He had a long day at school and he doesn't like his new teacher and then watching the match, must have all taken its toll and worn him out.'

'I am so thankful. You would not believe the day I've had. It has been so busy , I thought I was going to be there until midnight.'

'At least we can relax this evening, that will be a nice change.'

'Won't it?', Kelly collapsed on to the sofa.

Zack brought them through a glass of wine each.

'Now I think this is what we both deserve.'

'That tastes so good' , Kelly put her glass down on the table 'Zack, can you remember how old you were before you grew out of this not wanting to go to sleep business?'

'Twelve', Zack admitted.

'Then lets just hope it happens a bit sooner with Travis' Kelly took another large sip of wine and cuddled up to Zack and then fell asleep herself while they were watching a new detective show. It was only the noise of Ben arriving home that woke her up.

'Hey Ben, how was your day?'

'Great, but our conductor, he really works us hard. We have a big concert coming up in few weeks and it has to be perfect. Not that I can complain, its what I get paid for. He did take us all out for dinner after practice though. I'm so tired now and I've got to do it all again tomorrow.'

'Welcome to our world', Zack smiled at his son, then Ben went to bed himself. 'I guess its time we went to bed ourselves.' Zack extended his hand as Kelly dragged her tired feet up .

'I'm almost too tired to move.'

'I'll carry you , like I do Travis', he picked her up 'Only when I get you to the bedroom, I'm hoping you will wake up and not fall asleep', he winked at her.


	21. Chapter 21

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-One

Lisa's Party

Lisa and Darren had invited everyone over to their house for the weekend as they wanted to give them the news about the business premises they had recently bought and to officially invite them all to spend Christmas together at their place in Key West.

Lisa had hired caterers who already had flutes of champagne at the ready for when she made her announcement. She had even hired entertainers for the young children, a magician that had been at one of Crystal's friends parties and two students from USC that ran a childrens party business to make ends meet, to play games with their kids.

'Well I guess everyone is here now', Lisa saw Screech and Nicola had arrived with Joseph. 'Please all gather round, I have an announcement to make.' Lisa hinted for the caterers to start handing out the champagne and juice for the children.

'Okay, guys, for a while I have been wanting a new challenge, something to invest in and run for a while, aside from the fashion world. I didn't really know what until very recently an opportunity came my way that I couldn't let pass by. This is how it happened, Darren and I were driving by the Malibu Sands beach club when we saw it was up for sale, so despite the fact I knew Stacey was hostile towards us, we went in and made a few enquiries anyway and it was well worth it. We did see Stacey, who looks one very happy lady these days, she just got married again and is moving to Canada with her new husband to run a hotel with him. That is why she had Malibu Sands up for sale. I bought the Malibu Sands beach club that very day as a going concern, though of course I will be making quite a few changes at a later date. You all of course have automatic complimentary membership. Officially I take over the running of the place in two weeks time. I have also decided I want to change the name of the place, but haven't decided on anything yet, though I do have a few things in mind.'

Everyone gave Lisa an applause and then the caterers filled up everyone's glasses again.

'As you all know, Darren and I also now have a home in Key West and we would like you and all your families to come and spend Christmas and new year there with us. It hasn't been one of the best years for any of us, so I'm thinking we deserve some relaxation time for ourselves and to have some fun together.

Everyone was only too happy to accept Lisa and Darren's invitation and more champagne was passed around.

Later on , Lisa went and sat down with Zack and Kelly.

'So what do you guys really think about me buying the resort? I don't want you two having anymore fall outs over Stacey.'

'Relax Lisa, its all forgotten about now' Kelly took hold of Zack's hand as if to prove the point 'But I can't pretend I 'm not pleased she's moving to Canada.'

'I just hope she is happy at last and stays there', Zack finished off his champagne.

Lisa went to help herself to another slice of cake that Slater had made and brought along as a present.

'You told us it was a celebration party, but you didn't say what it was for, so I just iced celebrate on it with two champagne bottles', he told her.

Later on Jessie was talking to Darren about Karen Pearson, who she was still trying to convince to go to him as her soon to be ex-husband was still trying to make her and Stephanie leave the house. Screech was over with all the young children, enjoying himself more than them, helping the paid entertainers make balloon animals.

'This was my party piece in college', he told them, omitting the fact it hadn't gone down too well with his fraternity brothers. At least these kids appreciated his talents, including his own son.

'My Daddy makes better balloon animals than you', Joseph told one of the paid entertainers.

'Joseph, that's not a very nice thing to say to Christopher', Screech had discreetly looked at the name badge the college kid was wearing.

'It's okay Mr Powers, hey Joseph, I bet your Daddy can't juggle like this though', Christopher proceeded to juggle five balls at at a time.

'No my Daddy can't, my Daddy is rubbish at ball games.'

'Can you wrestle?', Zoe asked Christopher 'My Daddy used to wrestle really good, but he can't anymore.'

'No I don't wrestle, but I can do this', Christopher produced a rabbit out of a hat.

'Wow', said Crystal, obviously impressed, but then 'My Mummy makes expensive clothes for famous people, that's better than being able to do magic.'

'Hey kids, we all have different talents', Christopher pointed out.

Much later when all the young children were asleep in Lisa's spare bedrooms and it was just the eight of them sat down with their coffee's, Lisa brought up the Malibu Sands Beach Club again.

'All afternoon I've been thinking about what to call the place and I've decided to call it _Berry's_. After all , the resort is all about having fun and my late friend sure did like to have fun, what a fitting way to remember him. I might even have one of the cocktail bars decorated with pictures of him and his work. There is so much to think about , which is what brings me to my next point. Slater, Zack, I want to hire you as business development managers.

Slater looked stunned, Zack looked shocked.

'What exactly does that mean Lisa?'

'Exactly that, coming up with new ideas to keep business, and win new business, special promotions all sorts. It's a job that's varied and fun. Slater its perfect for you, you ran a global business, to you this is nothing, jus a small opertion, you can work regular office hours and even work from home sometimes if you want. I don't want an answer from either of you now of course, but please think it over. I know you are both perfect for it and that's why I want you two to take it on.

Slater was quiet thinking about Lisa's proposition ,but then Zack spoke.

'Lisa, have you forgotten I already have a job?'

'Of course I haven't forgotten Zack. I know Bayside means too much to you for you to give up, but maybe we could come to some sort of part time arrangement for you.'

'Actually Lisa, being back at Bayside and teaching there is great, but I think I would rather come and work for you alongside Slater. It sounds like just the kind of new challenge I'm ready to get my teeth in to. But I can't let the kids at Bayside down.'

'Then I think I may have a solution' , said Screech 'How about staying on at Bayside until the end of this school year, but going part time as soon as I can get cover. That way you can work for Lisa part time as well and go full time and leave Bayside at the end of the school year if you decide that's what you want to do full time by then.'

'Screech, that is a brilliant idea', Lisa hugged her long time friend. 'I'm sorry I'm trying to steal your best business studies teacher away from you , but that's why I want him, because he's good.'

'I understand Lisa and besides I always thought Zack belonged more in a business environment than a school, despite the fact he is one of the best teachers I have. And I'm not just saying that because he is my best friend and sat opposite me.'

'Thanks for the compliment Screech. But hang on , what about Christmas in Key West? Won't you want us to work at the resort instead?'

'No , nobody will be working there at Christmas or new year anymore. I checked the books, Christmas has always been a quiet time at the resort believe it or not. So I'm giving Christmas and new year back to the staff. For those two weeks each year, the resort will be shut and the staff can go and enjoy themselves with their friends and families. We are all going to have a great Christmas and New year in Key West, we just have to get Halloween and thanksgiving out the way first.

'Zoe keeps asking if she can have a Halloween party. I don't see why not. It's just a bit of fun isn't it?'

'Oh we have to let them Jessie, its all Crystal keeps going on about too.'

'Why don't you get all the kids to dress up in Halloween costumes?', suggested Screech 'I'll come and judge the costumes and Slater could make some really great tasting spooky cakes.'

'That goes without saying', Jessie smiled 'He has already started work on the icing designs.'

'I have indeed, they might even scare you Screech.'

'I doubt it. Have you met my senior class this year? They are one scary bunch.'

'It wasn't the college kids that scared me when term began, it was the fact that the lecture hall was full for my first lecture and I kept worrying I wouldn't be able to get it right, wouldn't be able to say what I wanted. And this time I was alone with no mentor. Okay, I done it in the end , but that was scary' Nicola told them all.

'That's because your fantastic', Screech sat back down with his arm round Nicola.

It was three in the morning and they were still talking about the resort soon to be _Berry's_ when Jessie's cell rang.

'Who on earth is ringing you at this hour?', wondered Kelly 'I thought it was only me that got calls at this hour when I'm on call.'

Jessie answered to an unrecognised number, but it was an LA area code.

'Hi Jessie, I 'm so glad you answered.'

It was Karen Pearson.

'Karen, whats wrong? Is Stephanie okay?'

'Jessie, he's done what he's been threatening to do all along, he's kicked Stephanie and I out. His new young girlfriend said she wasn't putting up with us there anymore and that it was her home now. I don't know what to do Jessie.'

'I do and from now on , I'm handling your divorce case. We are going to get everything from him we can the way he is treating you.'

'Jessie, I can't afford it.'

'It's free. In the meantime Karen, check in to a hotel tonight and then in the morning you have to go home and stand your ground. We can't have him showing up at court trying to claim you left voluntarily.'

'Jessie, I can't afford a hotel.'

'Yes you can, I'll pay. Find one and get them to ring me okay. Then Monday morning after we've dropped the girls off at school you and I are going to have a good long chat in my office.'

Jessie switched the phone off , put it back in her pocket and sat back down on Slater's lap.

'Nicola's not the only one that's fantastic', he whispered in to her ear.

Not long after everyone went to bed in Lisa's spare rooms and then the party lasted until late on the Sunday afternon. The children enjoyed playing in the vast grounds of Lisa and Darren's house and everyone finally went home after a Sunday lunch that Darren had cooked.

'I wish we could go to Lisa and Darren's house every weekened', said Zoe as they walked down the road home.

'Zoe , fun things wouldn't be half as much fun if you got to do them all the time. Anyway we are all going to spend Christmas in Florida with Lisa and Darren.

'Do Joseph and Travis still believe in Santa Claus?'

'I don't know, probably. You and Crystal mustn't spoil it for them and tell them if they do you know.'

'But Christmas is ages away, can't we do something before then?''

Jessie knew what Zoe was hinting at and decided it was time to put Zoe out of her misery.

'That's why I thought maybe we could have a Halloween party with all your friends from school.'

Zoe was hardly able to contain her excitement and as soon as they got home she went to her room to write a list of all her friends she wanted to invite.

'Looks like we got some peace and quiet for half an hour. I can look over this contract Lisa gave me.'

'And I need to start making some notes that will make Karen Pearson's soon to be ex-husband wish he had never met me.'

The weekend was well and truly over.


	22. Chapter 22

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Two

Everyday Life At Bayside Continues

Josie and Martin appeared to be on speaking terms again and Screech and Nicola weren't exactly thrilled about it, especially Nicola.

'She could do so much better for herself Sam and he doesn't treat her very nice'.

'I know Nicola, but she loves him, there's not much we can do about that', Screech thought about the conversation he had with Josie as he got his notes ready for school.

'I've got a couple of students coming to see me about a placement at Bayside this week. The want to be teachers, I really can't think why',Screech was of course only joking.

'I'm loving every minute of being a professor so far. I guess we can only hope Josie grows out of Martin eventually. I just don't want her making the same mistake I did the first time round.'

'Makes me realise just how lucky I've been.'

Just then Joseph got down from the breakfast table and came and informed them he was ready and waiting to go to school.

'I want to get there early so I can play football with Travis in the playground before we go in to class.'

'You know Joseph, you and Travis remind me so much of when Zack and I were growing up together.'

'Yeah Dad, but that was in the olden days', said Joseph, who compared to him, thought his middle aged parents were absolutely ancient.

When Screech arrived at Bayside, Zack was in early talking to one of the students from his senior business studies class.

'If you are serious about a career in finance and banking, Cal U really does have an excellent programme for finance majors.'

'Is it true you once had a career in banking Mr Morris?'

'Yes, but only branch banking. If you want to make big bucks, your have to go to Wall Street and become a stockbroker.'

'So how come you ended up back here at Bayside? I saw an old class picture in the display section on the wall and I found an old year book from the early nineties. It is you Mrs Morris isn't it? And Mr Powers of course?'

'Of course its us. It's no secret we were once students here ourselves. They were some of the best days of my life. Anyway there's the bell, I'll tell you all about my banking career and how it ended another time, trust me, its boring.'

After the good times of the weekend, it was all down to business as usual, until lunchtime when Screech got a surprise visit from Mr Belding.

'Chief, it's a few years since you retired now, but you just can't keep away from the place can you?'

'What can I tell you Screech? Most of my life has been spent here at Bayside, in fact that's why I'm here.'

'You don't want your old job back do you? You can't have it, its taken.'

'Don't be silly Screech. No, its coming up to reunion time for my class and obviously we want to have it in the Bayside gym for nostalgic reasons. So I thought I would come and see you about it and book the gym up around all your students dances and events.'

'I see chief and when exactly do you want to have this reunion?'

'Not until the summer. Is June a good time?'

'The last month of school, that should be fine. The senior prom is the last dance of the year and that's at the end of May. How do you feel about the first weekend of June?'

'Perfect, I've got to get all the invitations out to my class so none of them book themselves up for anything else. Thanks Screech.'

'Just one thing chief, I suppose you want a sixties theme with music to match.'

'Well of course Screech, that is when we were students here after all. Any chance I can leave that side of the things and the catering to you?'

'Sure chief, I'll get some of the students to help with it as usual. Though I'm not sure how they will feel about organising a dance that's not for them.'

'Invite any of the students that help organise it and of course you and your friends are all invited too. After all, what would a dance be at Bayside without my favourite kids?'

'Your always be my kids Screech. Anyway I got to get going, I'm supposed to be taking Becky out for a late lunch. See you later Screech and hey, keep on looking after my school.'

'You got it chief. I always have and I always will.'

As soon as Mr Belding had gone, the student Screech secretly nicknamed the school's current Zack Morris knocked on his door and he saw that this student, whose real name was actually Tim Harris had yet another detention slip in his hand.

'Not again Tim.'

'Again sir.'

'Tim, the way you are going, your going to beat the school record for the most detention slips in a semester and that hasn't been touched since the nineties, the early nineties.'

Zack Morris was still the current record holder, but probably not for much longer the way Tim was going.

'Oh right, cool.'

'Trust me Tim, its nothing to be proud of at all. A couple more this semester and your going to end up suspended and the semesters not even two months old. Tim, you really need to start knuckling down, you're a junior now, your taking your SAT's in the spring.

'How many days suspension would I get sir?'

'Actually Tim, none. In your case I'm changing the rules. You would probably enjoy being suspended no matter how much your parents told you off. If you get any more detention slips its extra homework, set by me and in your worst subjects, English and History.'

'But that's not fair sir.'

'Hopefully one day you will thank me for taking this action.'

'Like we don't get enough homework as it is.'

'Congratulations Tim, you just earned your first extra homework assignment. Come back here to me at the end of school to collect it okay.'

'Yes sir', Tim said reluctantly.

'Right, now I suggest you get back to Mr Morris's class and ask him what you need to read and review tonight on the part of his class you have missed.'

Screech had only just got rid of Tim and started to get down to some paperwork, when a girl from junior year knocked on his door.

'Hi Cindy, what can I do for you?'

'I want to quit the cheerleading squad, but Carrie is giving me a really hard time about it.'

Carrie was the head cheerleader, tough on the squad and proud , but also the most popular girl in school.

'Why do you want to quit the squad Cindy? I thought you loved cheerleading.'

'I do , but I'm falling behind with my work. My grades haven't been so good so far this year. My parents aren't happy unless I get straight A's and I've got a couple of B's already this semester. My parents were not happy.'

Silently Screech thought Cindy's parents didn't know how lucky they were, compared to Tim Harris's parents anyway. He was never going to put pressure on Joseph the way Cindy's parents were, unless Joseph turned out to be another Tim Harris of course.

Screech had followed in his old chief's Mr Belding's footsteps and told the kids the principals door was always open, the trouble was all the kids came to him. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered having guidance counsellors on the school payroll. The kids seemed to come to him about everything and he always tried to help.

'Cindy, let me ask you one thing. Do you still enjoy cheerleading?''

'Of course I do.'

'Then do you really want to give it up?'

'Of course not, I just don't see how I can't.'

'Cindy, listen to me, a couple of B's are not the end of the world.'

'That's not what my parents think.'

'Cindy, you are doing so well. You are in the top five percent of your class. Would you like me to call your parents and have a chat with them?'

'No, they will think I am in trouble at school if you call them.'

'Don't worry, I'll tell them your not in trouble.'

'Do you think it will do any good sir?'

'We can but try Cindy. Now how about if I try and make an appointment for them to come and see me?'

'Okay sir, but I'm still not sure it will do any good.'

'I'll call them at work this afternoon, In fact, perhaps I can even pop in to their restaurant after school tonight. In the meantime, break times over time for you to get to class and then to get yourself to cheerleading practice after school.'

When his office was finally clear of kids for a while, he finally got back to some of his own admin work, until he had to go and cover an algebra class last period as the teacher had gone sick half way through the day and he hadn't been able to get a substitute at such short notice. Not that he minded really, he was still a science geek after all and he actually enjoyed algebra, unlike most of the sophomore class he would be teaching it too.

Nicola was finishing lectures early so she was picking Joseph up from school that day and he was grateful for that because it was near seven the time Screech finally left his office and Bayside for the day. When he eventually got home it was gone eight as he had stopped off at Cindy's parents restaurant to arrange a date to meet with them and Nicola had already put Joseph to bed.

'Josie is out with Martin again and Paul is taking a girl he met at the store out on a date. I did wait for you to have dinner though and it looks like we can have it in peace for once. I only had two lectures today, but I feel like its been a real hectic one. Anyway, I cooked us some Italian, I got the recipe from Kelly.'

'That sounds wonderful, I had so many kids by my office today I didn't even have a chance for any lunch.'

'Then you will definatley be needing this.'

Nicola brought through two large plates of seafood pasta for them both with some huge chunks of garlic bread.

'Wow Nicola, it's a good job we are only going to be kissing each other with all that garlic bread', Screech joked and Nicola kissed him on the cheek.

'Come on, lets eat.'

'You know what Nicola, Bayside wasn't nearly as exhausting when I was a kid', but Screech laughed, he was only joking, he loved his job and everyone knew it, that was why he was so good at it.


	23. Chapter 23

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Three

'Berry's' Resort

Screech wasn't the only one that had had an exhausting day at Bayside, Zack had too and now he was public enemy number one to Tim Harris, but the kid had to be told and that was all there was to it.

'You look absolutely shattered Zack.'

'Thanks Kelly, you really know how to make a guy feel good about himself. I think I handled it all wrong with some kid in my class. I gave him another detention, but its almost like he enjoys getting detention. It's almost like that is what he is trying to do.'

'Now do you realise what you put all your high school teachers through?'

'It's a wonder they didn't have any more grey hairs the time we graduated. And I'm sure Travis is going to turn out the same. Where is he anyway?'

'Over at Screech's, Nicola said he and Joseph could play together after school for a while.'

'You mean we have the place to ourselves?'

'For a couple of hours at least, then its you and Travis, I'm covering evening surgery as a favour this evening.'

'I guess once Travis gives me a bit of peace and quiet and goes to bed, I can go over this contract Lisa has given me. Slater said he has already gone over his anyway. It will be nice to have a new challenge to get my teeth in to. I'm still going to carry on teaching at Bayside two days a week though like Screech said I could. I can't let the kids down in the middle of the year. I'll make my decision at the end of the year.'

Later on when Zack went to pick Travis up after Kelly had gone to work, all Travis could talk about was the upcoming Halloween party Zoe had invited them all to the following weekend.

'I'm going to dress up as a ghost, Zoe said I could jump out and scare everyone at the door.'

'What's Joseph going as?'

'A pumpkin', Zack thought, only a son of Screech's would think of that. 'Dad, do I have to do my homework tonight?'

'Of course you do Travis. You only get half an hour a night and you know the rules, homework before television.'

'But Dad, its so boring.'

'Get used to it son, your going to be in school for a long time yet.'

'When I grow up and leave school, I'm never going back.'

'That's what I used to say. Right then, here we are, home and homework time.'

Zack was hoping disciplining Travis with his homework now would save he and Kelly all the hassle he had put his own parents through when he wouldn't knuckle down to his school work.

It was late when Kelly got home, but Zack had finally got Travis off to sleep.

'What a shame you can't get sleeping pills for children', Zack joked.

'I'm just grateful you managed to get him to bed before I got home. He's my son and I love him to bits, but I'm really not in the mood for his tantrums tonight.'

'Another busy night at the surgery?'

'Thank god they have a locum coming in tomorrow night, that's all I can say. Okay, the extra money comes in handy, but I'm exhausted.'

Back at Bayside the next morning, when Tim Harris played up in class and didn't listen to a word Zack said in class again, Zack implemented the new method he had discussed with Screech. He ignored Tim himself and concentrated on asking questions to the pupils that were interested, then he made Tim spend the whole of what should have been his rest period between classes taking notes on all he had just missed and the homework Zack had set him for the next morning.

'But I don't have business studies tomorrow sir.'

'I know that, but I still want you to bring your essay here to me before the start of school. And if you don't, it won't be detention, it will be more homework.'

'I won't have a social life soon sir, all the homework you and Mr Powers are setting me.'

'Then perhaps you should concentrate more and do the work your set in classes Tim. There is plenty of time to chase girls after class.'

'But I don't get to look at Carrie the head cheerleader after school, well only at a distance from the bleachers when she's leading the cheers at practice.'

'I remember it well, my wife was head cheerleader here.'

'I know sir, I've seen the pictures of your class and every other before and after it. Bayside sure has a lot of history.'

'And your be history if you don't stop distracting me. You've got work to do , a lot of work to do. I'll see you in the morning, with your essay.'

Zack was glad when school was over for the day, he was starting to get really fed up of Tim Harris, now he knew how Mr Belding must have been in despair with him half the time. On his way home though, he got a phone call from a really excited Lisa.

'The new signs are going up today and yours and Slater's new office is finished. I know you will love it. Slater's on his way over to see it now, do you want to come along too?'

'Sure, Kelly's picking Travis up today anyway, I'm just finishing up at school.'

When Zack arrived at what was now named _Berry's_ Resort, he didn't recognise the place. It had been given a complete overhaul.

'Obviously I couldn't have the place closed for too long as I didn't want to lose any business', Lisa explained to Zack and Slater as she led them to their new office. 'I've had people working round the clock on this place the past couple of weeks and I'm really happy with it. Though of course, I will be making further changes at a later date. Here , we are guys, your new office, well , what do you think?'

It was a large spacious office with modern décor and it even had its own coffee machine and sofa.

'Wow, this is three times the size of the office I used to share with Kevin at the gym', Slater had never seen such a spacious office.

'Well I don't have an office at Bayside, but it's a lot bigger than the office I used to have at the bank.'

'I thought it would be easier for you guys to share an office as your going to be working together and your not going to be here all the time to start with anyway Zack. And your first job Slater is to get info out about the new and improved resort.'

'I'm already on it Lisa', Slater promised. He had started working for Lisa from home the week before, while waiting for his office to be finished.

'It's going to be so great, having two brilliant businessman that are also among my best friends working for me. And Slater, I want to improve the gym facilities, so your going to have to give me some advice on what new equipment to buy as I really wouldn't have a clue where to start there.'

'Sure Lisa, you can show me round the gym tomorrow if you like. Today, I'm taking Jessie out to dinner when she finishes work, I've got Dad picking Zoe up from school.'

'You guys have a great time. Tell Jessie to come and see the place when she gets a chance.'

After Slater left to meet Jessie, Zack and Lisa sat talking more about her plans for the resort.

'I've already decided I'm having my next fashion show of my latest collection here. Come on and see '_Berry's Bar'_, completely dedicated to the late great Berry Dawson of course.

Lisa took Zack in to the tribute bar, there were lots of pictures of Berry over the years on the walls, pictures of his designs and pictures of him receiving awards. There was also the special _Berry's Cocktail_ on the menu. It was actually a concoction, Berry used to drink, it had no name, but staff in certain clubs over the years had known what spirits to start mixing together as soon as he walked through the door.

'Lisa, its fantastic. I never knew Berry that well, but this is certainly a more than fitting tribute to him.'

'Thanks Zack. So, want to risk one of the cocktails?'

'Best not Lisa, I got to drive home.'

'Okay then another time. I warn you Zack, it really does have a kick, It took me three hours training the bar staff how to perfect it.'

'I look forward to trying one at a later date.'

'Good, because your going to help promote it to the customers.'

When Zack got home he told Kelly all about how the resort was looking.

'I can't wait for you to see it Kelly, Malibu Sands is gone completely, the twenty-first century_ Berry's_ is a different place entirely.'

'That's a good thing. All the old bad memories finally erased. I'm looking forward to seeing it.'

'Lisa said she isn't going to have the official opening party until the new year as she wants to combine it with a fashion show for her spring collection, but as the resort is operating as usual now, you can come and see it anytime. The office she has given Slater and I is a world apart from the office I used to have at the bank.

Just then, as usual, Travis came back to the lounge from his bedroom and went up to Zack.

'Daddy, I can't sleep.'

'Why not?'

'I'm not tired.'

_Here we go again_, Zack and Kelly both thought to themselves.

'Travis , you have to go to sleep. You know what happens when you don't sleep. You can't concentrate in school because your tired and then you get in trouble with your teacher.'

'I don't like my new teacher anyway, she doesn't like me.'

'Travis, she is there to teach you , not like you.'

'She likes Joseph, he is a teachers pet.'

'She probably likes Joseph because he goes to sleep at night like a good boy and can stay awake in class.'

'I don't like school anymore Daddy. I don't want to go to school anymore.'

'You have to go to school Travis. I know you don't get on with Ms Sankson, but think about the things you do like about school.'

'I like playing with Joseph and my other friends.'

'Whats your favourite subject?'

'None, I used to like maths, but not since I had my new teacher.'

Zack spent another hour going round and round in circles with Travis, trying to get him to think about the things he did like about school. Travis had eventually fallen asleep, allowing Zack to finally collapse in to bed himself.


	24. Chapter 24

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Four

Trouble At School

Zack and Kelly weren't the only ones having problems with their child not wanting to go to school. Zoe's grandfather had dropped her home the night before and now she was telling her parents she didn't want to go to school this morning. Jessie and Slater were both shocked, Zoe loved school and didn't like it when school vacation time came round.

'I don't want to go to school today', she told them, pushing her cereal around the bowl.

'Zoe, you don't get a choice in the matter. Sometimes your Dad and I have days when we don't want to go in to work, but we have to go . It's the same with you and school.'

'Zoe, I thought you loved school', every time Slater picked her up , he usually had trouble tearing her away from her friends at the end of the day.

'I used to like school, now I hate it. I wish I was in Crystal's class, she's my best friend.'

'Zoe, we've been over this time and time again. You know you can't be in Crystal's class. Besides, what about your friends in your own class?'

'I don't have any, not anymore. Sharon Taylor took them all away from me last week. She told them all not to like me anymore' and then Zoe burst in to tears.

Slater pulled Zoe on to his lap and cuddled her, Jessie knelt down in front of them, trying to get Zoe to peel her hands away from her now red face, both of them wishing they could make it all better for Zoe, to stop their little girl from hurting.

'Zoe, listen to me, Your our daughter, we love you and we want to help you, but we can't unless you tell us exactly what happened with this girl. Is she a new girl at school? I never heard you mention her before/'

'She started at the school two weeks ago Mummy. She moved here from Montana and she is really nasty.'

'Oh Zoe, is she nasty to everyone or just you?'

'She was nasty to some of the other girls in my class as well, but then they became friends with her so they wouldn't pick on her anymore. Even Stephanie doesn't speak to me anymore. I don't want my Halloween party at the weekend anymore, nobody will come.'

'Zoe, do you want us to come and talk to your teacher?'

'No, she told me I wasn't to tell anyone or even more people would hate me.'

'Actually Zoe, I think I have an idea. Give this Sharon Taylor an invitation to your party', Jessie suggested and both Zoe and Slater looked at Jessie like she was mad.

'No, hear me out okay. If this Sharon Taylor comes to the party, all the other children that have been invited will. While she is here and all the rest of the kids are playing games, the three of us are going to sit down with this girl and talk and find out just why she is picking on you. Some of the childrens parents are coming along, perhaps if her parents come along too, we can all sit down and talk together.'

'I know why she's picking on me, she hates me.'

'I'm sure there is more to it than that Zoe. Did you ever do anything to upset her when she started at the school?'

'No I was nice to her. I only asked her if she wanted to sit next to me and she said no way.'

'Zoe , listen to me. For now you've got to be a brave girl and go to school. I promise you we will try and get all this sorted at your party at the weekend. And if this Sharon Taylor picks on you in the meantime, I know its hard, but just try and ignore her and at least you get to play with Crystal at break time.

Jessie and Slater both took Zoe to school in Slater's car that morning and they waited at the gates until school had gone in.

'I hope we get all this sorted, I can't stand seeing her so miserable', said Jessie, wishing she could just take all her daughters pain away.

'Me too, but there's not much else we can do for now. Isn't Karen Pearson your first meeting today?'

'Yes and then I've got a friend of Cynthia Larson's coming in to see me about handling her divorce. I 'm hoping to have Karen's over and done with soon. I'm confident I can get her a good settlement, especially the way her soon to be ex-husband has treated her. But I think we had better both come and pick Zoe up after school today don't you? And I'm going to get here early, so I can see whats going on when all the kids come out.'

'See you here at four. I guess I better get off to my new office myself. See you later', Slater kissed Jessi goodbye as he headed off to his new office on the other side of town and Jessie started to walk towards her own office.

The work day flew by and Jessie was back at the school gates at four, along with Slater who arrived at the same time. Darren was there too waiting for Crystal and they were soon joined by Kelly and Nicola

Zoe's class was let out just before Crystal's and Zoe appeared to be talking to Stepahine as usual, until another girl came up to them and Stephanie moved away from Zoe with her. Jessie had no doubt that was the girl that had been making Zoe miserable. Zoe saw her parents and ran straight over to them, there would be no having to drag her away from talking to her friends today. Today she appeared to just want to get away from the school as soon as possible.

'So how was school in the end Zoe?', Jessie asked as soon as they were in the car.

'I did what you said, I just ignored Sharon and got on with my work, but she still picked on me all day.'

'Well done Zoe. You're a really brave girl. You just keep on doing that until we can hopefully get this sorted at the weekend. Did you give her the invitation?'

'Yes, she said she would ask her Dad if she could come. She said she doesn't like me, but she does like parties.'

That night Zoe went to bed slightly happier than she had been that morning, but the following morning Jessie and Slater still had to reassure her all over again before she was happy about going to school. Zoe played with Crystal until school was called in and they had to go off in to their separate classes. Jessie had yet another meeting scheduled with Karen this morning. She tried to fit her meetings with Karen in at the start of the work day before her paying clients.

'Karen, do you fancy going for a coffee instead of to my office?'

'Sure.'

Sat in the coffee shop, Jessie broached the subject that had nothing to do with Karen's divorce.

'Did you know our daughters have fallen out?'

'No I didn't. Though Stephanie did have a new friend over after school the other day. To be honest, I wasn't keen on the child at all. Between you and me Jessie, I thought she was a nasty piece of work and if she's like that at six, what's she going to be like when she's older?'

'Was her name Sharon? Sharon Taylor?'

'Yes, why?'

'It's the new girl in their class. She's been picking on Zoe, although Zoe hasn't told us much. I don't think she wants too. I think this girl has really frightened her.'

'It doesn't surprise me Jessie. I didn't like some of the things she said when she was at our house and I told her off. Quite frankly, I'm not happy about Stephanie being friends with her at all.'

'I'm hoping we can get it all resolved at the kids Halloween party this weekend. I really don't know what we are going to do if we can't.'

'And I don't know what I'm going to do once the divorce comes through.'

'Karen, don't worry. I'm going to get you a good settlement. Your be able to buy a nice house or apartment for yourself and Stephanie and a little bit extra to help you live on as well. Please don't panic about it all Karen, I know I can do this for you.'

'My husband doesn't think that.'

'Your husband hasn't had to contend with me before. I have to go now Karen, but if not before I'll see you at the kids Halloween party at the weekend okay.'

They had a lot of preperation to do for the Halloween party. Using a really old work suit of her own, Jessie made Zoe a withces outfit with a cape attached that they stuck stars and moons on to on the Friday evening. While they were busy making her costume, Zoe was really happy and enjoyed herself, it was almost like things were back to normal. On the Saturday morning, Zoe enjoyed helping Slater bake the cakes.

'Spooky cupcakes I like it' said Jessie, picking one up to tast 'Well done guys.'

'Just wait until you see the big cake we made', Zoe said proudly as Slater brought over the large cake iced with pictures of witches and ghosts. 'And I helped with the icing.'

'You are such a clever girl. Now do you want to get your costume on? All your friends will be arriving soon. In fact, I think I see Crystal and her parents coming up the path now.'

Lisa getting in to the spirit of things was wearing a witches hat herself, while Crystal was proudly wearing her witches outfit and carrying a broomstick Darren had made for her. Travis and Joseph arrived with their parents next, shortly followed by Stephanie and her Mum. The time Zack and Slater had all the kids playing a spooky game they had made up, Jessie was beginning to have her doubts as to whether Sharon Taylor was even going to show up.

Eventually Sharon was dropped off by a young man who looked about the same age as Screech's son Paul, Jessie presumed he was her older brother.

'Hi there, I'm Jessie, Zoe's Mum. Why don't you come on in? Could your Mum not come as well Sharon?'

'Ha, she hasn't seen her Mother in five years. Now what time does this party end? When do I need to pick her up?'

'Around seven is fine.'

'I'm just glad to be getting rid of her for a few hours, she's a pain. Here is my number, call me if there is any trouble.'

'I had been kind of hoping to have a chat with one of her parents.'

'I'm her Dad, but I'm busy. See you around seven.'

And then he was gone, leaving Jessie to stand there gob smacked. It hadn't worked out the way she had planned, but she was still going to make sure she got this whole thing sorted out with Sharon and Zoe today.

'Well Sharon, why don't you come on in and join in some of the games? And a little while later I think we need to sit down and have a chat with Zoe don't you?'

Sharon nodded reluctantly knowing she was in trouble again and then went to join the rest of the kids in the games.


	25. Chapter 25

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Five

The Class Bully

While Zack and Screech entertained the kids in the garden with more spooky games, Jessie called Zoe and Sharon in and sat them down with a cake and a juice each. Slater sat down next to Zoe, but Jessie stood up in front of them.

'Sharon are you having a good time here today?', Jessie asked.

'Yes.'

'Do you like Zoe?'

'Sort of.'

'What do you mean sort of? And if you even sort of like her, why have you been picking on her?'

'Because its not fair. She comes top in everything in the class. At my school in Montana I was the best at everything.'

'But why pick on Zoe, why not one of the other boys or girls in your class?'

'Because Zoë's a mixed race kid and my Dad always tells me I'm only allowed to have all white friends anyway.'

Jessie and Slater were hardly able to believe what they were hearing, it was certainly something that shouldn't be happening in this day and age.

'Why does your Dad say that Sharon?'

'I don't know, he just does. He would never let me be friends with Zoe or with her friend Crystal from the other class.'

'But Sharon, it doesn't matter what colour people are, you should like people for who they are, their colour doesn't matter. You know there's a word for what your Dad's teaching you Sharon and its not a very nice word. It's called being racist and that's a nasty thing to be. Is that what you want to be known as, a nasty , racist bully?'

'No', said Sharon, the kid looked like she was about to cry herself and Jessie had got her right where she wanted her.

Zoe had remained silent throughout , picking at the icing on her cake.

'Zoe, your not saying much', said Slater, trying to get his daughter to talk.

'I didn't want to tell you what else she said to me, she said because I'm not all white, I should be dumb. I didn't tell you what she kept saying to me because it upset me too much. I thought you would be upset too.'

'I think angry is more the word it has made us Zoe', said Slater. 'Sharon, do you enjoy upsetting Zoe?'

'Not really', she admitted.

'Then why do you do it Sharon, please tell us', Jessie urged.

'Because my Dad upsets me all the time okay', Sharon finally admitted.

'How do you mean Sharon?', Jessie asked.

'He tells me I'm just a pain and that he wishes I had never been born and that if it weren't for me he could have gone to Harvard and done something brilliant. He says I'm not good enough, because I don't get the top marks in the class. He says he only puts up with me because he has too.'

It was just as Jessie had first thought, bullies bred bullies and Sharon was a victim of bullying herself.

'But don't you see Sharon, picking on Zoe or anyone else for that matter, it just makes you as bad as your Dad. Do you want to grown up being known as the nasty racist girl with no friends?'

'Of course not.'

'Well that what will happen Sharon if you carry on picking on Zoe, or anyone else.'

Sharon thought for a minute and then looked genuinely frightened.

'Sharon , there's already too many bad people in the world, don't become one of them. Your find life's a lot better if your nice to people. If you have more friends at school, think how often you can go and play at other peoples houses and spend time away from your Dad. You've enjoyed the party here today haven't you?'

'Yes, even though you've told me off, I know I deserved it, I don't want to go home.'

'Sharon, I'm sure if you apologise to Zoe now, this whole thing can be forgotten. Maybe she will even be friends with you, but don't say it unless you mean it. And think about what you want to say, not what you think your Dad would say and tell you to say.'

Sharon was quiet for a minute and Zoe continued to play with what was left of the icing on her cake. Eventually Sharon spoke.

'Zoe I'm sorry I was horrible to you, especially after you asked me to sit next to you. Your even invited me here to your party and I was still horrible to you at school yesterday. I'm really sorry Zoe, please can we be friends?'

Jessie realised how hard it must have been for the child to come out and say that and now she hoped Zoe was going to be brave too.

'Only if you promise never to be horrible to me ever again.'

'I promise Zoe and thanks again for inviting me to your party. I've never been invited to a party before.'

'Okay Sharon. You had better not go back on your promise or Zoe will tell us about it and the next time we will get the school and your teacher involved too.'

'I promise I'll be nice to Zoe and everyone else from now on. My Dad wouldn't even hire a costume for me to come to the party today.'

'I've still got one in my dressing up boxe from last year when I went to a Halloween party. You can wear that for the rest of the party if you want.'

'Come on girls, lets go and see if we can find it', the two girls followed Jessie up to Zoe's bedroom, both Jessie and Slater relieved to see Zoe smiling again.

It didn't take long to find the costume and soon Zoe and Sharon were back joining in the games with the rest of the kids and even paired up for one of the games when they were told to find a partner.

Around half past six some of the parents started arriving to take their children home and even their own friends left with their own children by half past seven, but at eight o'clock Sharon was still there waiting for her Dad to collect her.

'I'm sorry , my Dad's always late', she tried to explain to them.

'Do you want us to call him?', Jessie offered.

'No, there isn't any point. He will just show up when he wants too.'

Sharon was correct about that, the time Sharon's Dad did show up, it was gone ten and Zoe had fallen asleep on the sofa unable to keep her eyes open to play with Sharon anymore, but Sharon seemed just as happy to sit there and watch the news on the television.

Sharon's Dad didn't apologise for being late at all and Jessie found she now felt sorry for the child, even though she had made her own daughter miserable, but at least that was resolved now, well , she hoped so anyway.

After Sharon left with her Dad, they finally got Zoe to bed and then sat down on the sofa.

'I think that's the last Halloween party she's getting for a while. I am exhausted.'

'Jessie, your brilliant. You never cease to amaze me. The way you handled that whole thing, it was nothing less than brilliant.'

'I'll do anything for Zoe, just like you would. But mediation training in law school came in very handy there. And Zoe being happy is all I care about, as much as I feel sorry for Sharon. The poor kid can't have a very nice home life, but that's no reason to go picking on Zoe. I hope we've made her realise that.'

'Lets look at some of the pictures of the party', Slater cuddled Jessie close to him on the sofa as they flicked through the hundreds of photo's that had been taken on the digital camera.

'Wow, remember when she was just a tiny bundle in our arms for the first time', it seemed like so long ago to Jessie now. Their little girl was growing up fast.

'I'll never forget that moment, being scared and amazed all at once', Slater pulled Jessie closer 'Or the constant worry you put me through when you were pregnant with her.'

'You got your own back. I know how that feels now, the way I was constantly worrying about you after you had that heart attack. That really scared me. I know all the worry I must have put you through now.'

'At least we got Zoe at the end of it with the worry you put me through.'

'And you got your life back.'

'Thanks to you and Zoe keeping me going. You've always kept me going, even in high school when we drove each other crazy at times. Remember when we fell out over that silly date auction?'

'That was me going over the top as usual.'

'But your firery personality, it was just a part of what made you so god damn attractive. You always stood up for what you believed in, I couldn't help but admire you for that, even when I didn't agree with you.'

'That silly date auction ended well anyway, we got back together at the end of the spring dance when I finally realised I'd got the whole thing out of proportion as usual. Just think when Zoe gets a bit older and wants to know all about how we met, we will have so many stories to tell her.'

'Enough to keep her entertained well in to college I should think. Remember the night I stayed with you and got in trouble for being home so late, it was gone one when I got home.'

'That was the night I lost it and faced up to my caffeine pill addiction.'

'And that was the night I told my Dad I'd been looking after my future wife. He laughed and told me I was way too young to know that. Shows you what he knew', Slater smiled at the memory and then they both glanced up at their wedding photo at the same time.

'Slater, I was so scared of losing you. Promise me you won't let this new job stress you out.'

'It won't I promise. In fact Lisa has already promised me, it's a fun, but not a stressful job and she even warned me I'm to take sufficient time out from it. It will be a nice change to have a boss that cares, rather than a purely selfish business partner. I promise you Jessie, I'm going to be around for a long time yet. One brush with death was enough to make me realise whats important in life. I love you and I love Zoe.'

'I love you Slater. You and Zoe are the best things that ever happened to me. The day I married you and the day Zoe was born, they are the best of my life to date. They even topped the day I graduated law school and trust me, that took some beating.'

'Jessie you're the best. Come on, its getting late, lets go to bed. And I may not be able to do heavy weight training anymore, but there is nothing of you. Your as light as a feather. I bet I can still carry you up the stairs without a problem.'

Jessie smiled as he picked her up with ease and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom the way he always used to. At long last, after a traumatic year, life was finally getting back to normal.


	26. Chapter 26

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Six

Josie's Announcement

The whole gang and their children hadn't long been home from spending Christmas and New Year in Key West with Lisa and Darren when Josie sprung a surprise announcement on Screech and Nicola.

'Martin's been offered a managers job at a big sports outlet store at a mall in Indiana, its near Indianna University. I'm going to move there with him. I'm already arranging a transfer to the masters program at Indiana.

It was a shock, but deep down Nicola and Screech weren't really surprised that Josie was planning a future with Martin. Josie and Martin had been serious about each other again for a long time and Screech and Nicola had decided they would just have to accept they were together now. They did think it was a good thing Josie was finally leaving home though. She was almost twenty-three and had lived at home throughout her time as an undergraduate at USC.

'I guess we knew this day would come sooner or later', Nicola said to Josie.

'Martin and I have been talking about living together for some time, but Martin was waiting to hear about this job.'

'It looks like one day I'm going to end up related to the chief after all.'

'Well Sam, Martin and I have spoke about getting married, but we aren't going to do it until we are both settled and both working and everything.'

'I'll miss you Josie, so much', said Nicola hugging her daughter.

'Me too', said Screech. 'Who is going to help me work on Kevin and Kevina now?'

Kevina was the robot wife they had built for Kevin together.

'I'll miss them Sam, I really will. I hope you will still let me work on them when I come home on the odd visit.'

'Your help is always appreciated Josie. Now I have to get to Bayside, I got the new part-time business studies teacher coming in today that's going to job share with Zack. No doubt the students will still be on a holiday high and not want to settle down to any work and so begins another semester.'

'That's what I like about teaching university. I've got another week off yet.'

'I'm looking forward to going back to school', said Joseph ' I hope Ms Sankson lets Travis and I sit together this semester.'

'You will have to stay well behaved for your teacher', Nicola warned her son.

'Its not me that mucks about anyway, its Travis.'

'I don't doubt that at all son', said Screech 'Come on, I'm taking you to school right now.'

Screech arrived at the elementary school at the same time Kelly got there to drop off Travis.

'Hi Screech, its my day at the hospital today. Recovered from Christmas in Key West yet?'

'Just about', said Screech , thinking back actually to the new years eve they had spent at the beach.

At Bayside, Zack was already in school waiting for his homeroom to arrive. Today he was going to tell them about his new part time hours and introduce them to the other teacher they would see three days a week.

Screech found the new teacher Mrs Thornton waiting by his office.

'Welcome back to Bayside Mrs Thornton and a warm welcome to the teaching department. I'll formally introdue you at assembly a little later. But first , here is a schedule of your classes. And watch out for those seniors, Mr Morris has trouble with a couple of kids in that class', Screech didn't mention Tim Harris by name. Mrs Thornton would have the pleasure of meeting him soon enough.

Once the assembly was over Mrs Thornton sat in on the senior class Zack was teaching as she would be teaching them the following day when Zack went off for his official first day at his new job at the resort, to prepare for the official opening. At lunch time for old times sake, Screech treated him to lunch at The Max.

'Screech, are we really dining here out of choice?'

'Oh come on Zack, it still beats the school cafeteria. Anyway, Josie is leaving home. She is going to live in Indiana with Martin Belding.'

'And how do you feel about that Screech?'

'She's my stepdaughter, I love her, I want her to be happy.'

'But?'

'But Martin Belding. He's hurt her in the past. What if he does it again? Nicola's being all brave about it , but I know she's just as worried as I am. Not only that, I think Nicola is more upset about Josie leaving than she is letting on. Nicola and Josie have always been together and are so close. Remember for a time, it was just the two of them on their own.'

'You and Nicola are just going to have to learn to live with the fact she's all grown up with her own life to live now Screech. And I won't pretend it's an easy thing to face up to because it isn't. Nicola will always be wondering whatever happened to her little girl?'

'That's what I find hard to relate to Zack. Paul and I had only been in each others lives a few years when he went away to college. I didn't watch him grow up from a small boy. I can only imagine how that feels.'

'Kelly cried for a week when Sophie went off to college and she did the same thing when Ben went off to music school. And when Sophie sprung her surprise marriage announcement upon us, well, as much as Kelly and I both like Simon, Kelly still has her moments about that. Just be prepared to be there for Nicola like you always are, because when Josie moves away, the first few weeks are going to be really tough on her.'

Zack was reflecting on his own now grown-up children. Christmas in Key West had been great, but it was their first Christmas without Ben being around. Ben was currently on a tour that had started at Christmas playing on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Sophie, he had seen was so happy with Simon, Simon really did love Sophie, that was obvious, but there were still those times when he missed the little girl he used to push on the swings in the park.

'Now I just keep wondering what Travis is going to be like when he grows up.'

'That's easy Zack, he is just going to be another you.'

Zack couldn't help but laugh, probably because there was no doubt some element of truth in it.

Later that afternoon when Zack went to pick Traivs up from school, he was invited in to talk with Ms Sankson.

'Okay, what has Travis done this time?'

'Your son is a constant disruption to my class Mr Morris.'

'What exactly do you mean by that Ms Sankson?'

'He shows no interest in what I am teaching, he is always talking to the other kids and he is always passing notes round the class. I caught him sending three in the last hour of school alone.'

'Have you not told him off?'

'Many times Mr Morris. He just keeps doing it again.'

'Has he fallen asleep in class anymore?'

'Not lately, but quite frankly your son is a pain.'

'I don't think there is any reason to go that far Ms Sankson. I'm not going to deny he is mischievous at times, I know he is, though believe it or not, he is quite well behaved at home. He knows he will get a telling off from us if he isn't.'

'Well I'm not prepared to put up with him anymore. I'm going to ask the principal to move him in to another class.'

'But Ms Sankson, all his friends are in this class.'

'He should have thought of that before he misbehaved in my class.'

'Have you been teaching long Ms Sankson?'

'No why?'

'I didn't think so. You see Ms Sankson, I teach high school myself and I don't think moving Travis is out of your class is the most effective method.'

'I guess you have your teaching methods and I have mine. In the meantime I suggest you take Travis home and have a talk with him about his conduct.'

Zack collected Travis from where he had been waiting outside the classroom.

'Okay Travis, what went wrong? I thought you said you were going to behave yourself this semester.'

'I was, but I don't like Ms Sankson, she picks on me all the time. She always asks me more questions than anyone else.'

'Probably because she thinks your not listening. Her job is to teach you after all.'

'I know that, but her lessons are boring and she won't let me sit with Joseph or any of my other friends. That's why I pass notes to them in class.'

'Travis, carry on like this and you won't be in the same class as your friends anymore.'

'That's not fair.'

'Life isn't always fair Travis. Just promise me you will try and behave and listen more in class from now on.'

'But Dad, even when I do listen, sometimes she asks me questions that has nothing to do with what she has been talking about. That's why I muck about, because when I do listen, she still picks on me anyway.'

'Travis , are you sure?'

'Yes, Dad, you can ask Joseph.'

'In that case, you and I are going to have another meeting with Ms Sankson next week to see if we can get this sorted.'

The following morning at his and Slater's new office, Zack got to work on making sure anyone who was anyone got an invite to the official resort opening and that the right publicity went out for it. Zack was thriving already.

'Slater, I'm finally doing what I love best, business. It's nice to have a break from the school and the kids, though right now, my problems are at the elementary school, with Travis, who has a teacher that quite clearly hates him. I'm glad Kelly's picking him up today and not me, because I would probably end up losing my temper with Ms Sankson. I almost did yesterday.'

'Preppy, forget all about schools for now, come and help me get these flyers done for Lisa's fashion show at the official opening. She's got a couple of runners here waiting to deliver them for us.'

'Sure', the idea was they were going to sell the resort on who owned it and the late fashion designer it was named after.

'Trust me Lisa, you are going to get dedicated followers of fashion through these doors from all over the world', Slater had said, showing Lisa one of the finished flyers.

'That's what I like to hear', said Lisa, who then turned on her heels to head back to the fashion college where the fashion designers of the future were helping put her collection together for the big day.


	27. Chapter 27

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Official Opening of _Berry's_ Resort

Lisa officially opened the _Berry's_ resort on valentines day. Tickets to the fashion show were a sell out and thanks to Zack and Slater, they were fully booked from now through until the Christmas closure, with people already enquiring about stays next year as well as the locals that used the club facilities as members year round, who were raving about the new place.

Tonight Lisa was showing off her new spring and summer collections and she thought it was one of her best ever, even if she did so so herself. _Berry's Bar_ had been cleared of tables and chairs at the front to make way for the make shift catwalk. But this was going to be a fashion show with a difference. As well as the regular models she always hired, she wanted real people in the show that people could relate too to, to show her designs were designed with the every day in mind. Therefore , she had asked all her friends to wear one of the outfits and take a turn on the catwalk. Lisa had even asked Jessie's step Mum Lesley who she had invited to take a turn.

'Look at me, the oldest model on the block', Lesley joked.

'Lesley you look fantastic', said Jessie, who was a bit nervous about going out on the catwalk herself, even though she was wearing a suit just like she would wear to the office every day.

Kelly was enjoying every minute of the build up with Zack.

'This reminds me of the beauty pageants we had back in school. I've always loved dressing up', Kelly was going to be showing off one of Lisa's latest exclusive evening gowns.

And after all these years, Lisa was even letting Screech have a go, Lisa was having him model a suit she thought perfect for a high school principal or anyone in authority.

'This is so much fun having you guys take part. We haven't done anything like this, since I did that fashion show in high school when I was desperate to get in to FIT,' Lisa gave Darren the finishing touch to her latest tuxedo. For the shows finale, they were going to be stepping out in evening wear together.

In another of the large suites in the resort,the wardrobe assistants and make-up artists were busy getting the professional models ready.

'Everything okay?', Lisa asked them all.

'It's all fine', Sheena the head make up artist assured Lisa.

Lisa was glad she had people do deal with the professional models, they were so demanding a lot of the time and there wasn't many of them she actually had time for.

'Okay then, I'll see you all on the stage.'

Lisa had decided to do the commentary for her own show this evening and do it a little different, thinking back to the show she had done in high school, and Zack was going to take over from her at the end ready for her to walk out with Darren.

Lisa went back to her friends and had a glass of champagne with them.

'The models are happy, the kids are all happy sitting in the front row with their grandparents. You think they will laugh at us on the stage?'

'There is no doubt about that', said Zack, thinking of his mischievous youngest son.

'Oh well, here goes, why don't you sit and have another glass before its your turn?'

Everyone applauded all Lisa's latest designs as the professional models walked out on to the catwalk, they even applauded the really extravagant designs that would be bought by someone famous as a one off, perhaps for an awards ceremony.

'Of course, not everything in this collection is extravagant, these designs have been made with the everyday professional in mind. And to kick off ,here are the cool suits no businessman should be without this coming season' and Zack and Slater strode out on to the catwalk carrying briefcases, as if it was something they did every day.

When Jessie came out, after Lisa announced the suit, no female lawyer in town should be without, she was more astounded at how many people seemed to recognise Jessie from her famous 'no comment's , she always gave presenters on the televisin news.

Then Screech and Nicola came out together.

'Samuel Powers is a real life high school principal and this really is the suit that says style and authority'. _And that's probably why Screech will never wear one_, Lisa thought to herself. Style had never been Screech's middle name and it never would be.

'And Nicola Powers is a university professor wearing a two piece that will really make those students sit up and take note.'

Lisa was really enjoying herself. She hadn't done her own commentary since she was a student at FIT. When Kelly came out in the evening gown, she looked stunning.

'Of course all doctors have to take time off duty sometimes, as Dr Kelly Morris is showing here , in this beautiful evening gown.'

And then it was Lisa's turn to go for a quick change and for Zack to take over the commentary.

'And last but not least, here we have Lisa and Darren, all dressed up with many places to go. Two perfect outfits for the 'it' couple about town.'

As he and Lisa turned back up the catwalk , Darren laughed to himself. He would never class himself as part of an 'it' couple. He was just a boring family lawyer who happened to be married to the best fashion designer in the business.

After the fashion show was over the party moved in to one of the larger function suites while _Berry's Bar_ was restored back to its former glory for everyone to use again later.

Jessie sat down at a table with Lesley.

'I'm sorry I haven't been able to get down and visit much lately Lesley. I should go and visit Dad's grave too. I haven't been in a while.'

'It's okay Jessie. I know how busy you are and I'm sure your Dad would understand. Jessie, I've met someone.'

'When?'

'About six months ago. He's not your Father and no one could ever replace him, but Callum makes me happy and that's enough for me now. He's a lot younger than me, actually he's fifteen years younger than me.'

'As long as you are happy Lesley.'

'I am Jessie and I haven't been very happy in the years since David died. There is something else though, its about the hotel.'

'Its doing okay isn't it?'

'Of course it is, but Jessie its getting dated now and the building is getting dated too. Guest numbers are still good, but they are not what they once were. And now there is a luxury hotel chain interested in buying it and redeveloping the place. And Jessie, to be honest, I've put my all in to running the place. I would kind of like to be free from it now. You see I want to sell now, why the profits are still good. Its an independent hotel and we couldn't afford all the same developments the big chains are going for around Palm Springs right now. I say we get out now while there is good money on offer. Of course I can't do anything without your approval and I wasn't sure how you would feel about it. I know the hotel means a lot to you.'

'Lesley, it's the memories that mean a lot to me and we will always have them.'

'What do you think your Dad would think?'

'I think Lesley, that he would just want us to do the right thing. You've looked after the hotel fantastic Lesley, you ran it just the way Dad entrusted you too. But times have changed since Dad died and your right , it is dated now. I think Dad would understand. Not only that, my half share would pay off the rest of our small mortgage and leave us with some cash to spare.'

'Then will you come and meet the big bosses of the chain with me?'

'Of course and I'll get the best business lawyer I can find to come along too.'

'I'm glad you understand Jessie.'

'I think its for the best. I would like to come and stay one last time though, before the papers are signed.'

'Of course why don't you come down one weekend in the next few weeks, stay an extra day and maybe we can fix up a meeting.'

'Okay, that sounds a good plan. You know I only ever took Zoe to see her Grandad's grave once and she was barely a year old then. She wouldn't remember it, maybe its time I took her again now she's a bit older. We always show her pictures of her Grandad', tears came to Jessie's eyes as she thought of the man Zoe would never meet and would have been the best Grandfather.

'I've left Callum running the hotel this weekend', Lesley changed the subject seeing Jessie was starting to get upset. 'I'm sure you will like him and Jessie once the hotel isn't ours anymore, please stay in touch.'

'Of course I will Lesley. Your not just my Step Mum, you've become a terrific friend to me over the years. And Zoe loves her young Gran. That's what she calls you you know, her young Gran. She loves the fact that she has three Gran's, especially as she has only one living Grandfather and here he is. Martin , you remember my Step Mum Lesley.'

'I sure do from your wedding. How are you?'

'Good thanks.'

'Jessie, Slater and Zack were looking for you just now.'

'Thanks Martin, I better go find them.'

Jessie found Slater and Zack in _Berry's Bar_, now all the chairs and tables had been put back in their usual place and it was open for business again.

'Where has everyone else gone?'

'Lisa's doing the rounds, you won't see her for the rest of the evening, Screech and Nicola left early with Joseph and here is Kelly now', Zack put his arm round his wife's shoulders.

They had a feeling Zack was up to something and they were right.

'Okay guys, its like this. I have agreed for the reformed _Zack Attack_ to perform, for one night only, somewhere outside of Jessie and Slater's livng room, if you all agree of course.'

'Where Zack?', Jessie was cautious 'What we do is just a bit of fun. None of us have the time to rehearse properly to play in front of a live audience.j'

'It's for Mr Belding's class reunion at Bayside in June. We have plenty of time to get up to speed. All we have to do is learn a few sixties numbers, then throw in some of our own stuff old and new. What do you say?'

'Well, since its for Mr Belding , why not? This is just a one off performance mind Zack, don't you dare go getting us bookings for anything else.'

'I wouldn't dream of it, because as someone here once said who would want to watch a bunch of middle aged rockers perform? Well now I have the answer, a bunch of pensioner rockers whose class reunion budget didn't allow enough to hire a professional band.'

Lisa had said it would be the party to end all parties and it was. The last guest had left at gone five in the morning and Lisa and Darren were still there, having sent Crystal home with Lisa's parents who had come to visit especially for the occasion. When she and Darren finally left, staff were arriving for the day shift. It was Saturday now, one of the busiest days of the week at the resort.

'I want to stay , but I am just too tired now', Lisa admitted, proud of the fact that with the resort, she now had yet another success under her belt.

'Lisa for a girl that never planned on working, you haven't done bad, a fashion designer, a fashion college and a beach resort. I knew my little girl would go on to do great things', her Father had told her proudly later that day as her parents were about to leave for the airport.

'Your Dad's right, you have done great things and never forget it. You should always be proud of yourself Lisa', Darren told her as they went back inside after waving her parents off.


	28. Chapter 28

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Eight

An Almost Empty Nest

It hadn't taken long for Josie to organise her transfer to the university in Indiana, in fact they were looking forward to having her. And now the day Nicola had been dreading for so long had arrived. Nicola and Screech were soon going to be driving Josie and Martin to the airport. They had rented a fully furnished apartment and so were only taking there clothes and in in Josie's case, essential books with them.

'Josie you ready?', Screech called up the stairs. They were going to pick Martin up on the way to the airport.

'Just about', Josie came down the stairs with her book bag. 'I was just saying goodbye to Kevin and Kevina. I'm going to miss them so much. It's a good job robots don't have feelings or I think they would really miss me.

Nicola came through to the hall then and Screech took Josie's last bag 'I'll wait for you two in the car.'

Nicola hugged her daughter hard.

'I'm going to miss you so much Josie. I always knew one day you would leave home, but its still tough.'

'I know Mum, I'm going to miss you too. But your be fine, you've got Sam and you've got Joseph to keep you on your toes.'

'It won't be the same Josie and you know it. Your all grown up now, but you're my only daughter and we've always been together. It's going to be tough. But I just want you to be happy.'

'I know that Mum, I am, but I am going to miss you too, so, so much', the two women stood and cried together until they heard Screech honk the horn as a hint.

Josie then picked up Joseph and they made their way outside to the car.

'I'm going to miss you lots little man, you make sure you're a good boy for Mum and Dad.'

When they reached the Belding's house, Martin was already waiting outside with his suitcase.

'I said goodbye to my parents last night, they've gone to New Orleans for the weekend.'

'The chief certainly gets around since he retired', Screech put the car in gear and they headed towards the airport.

Once Josie and Martin checked in and they got rid of their bags, they all went for coffee before it was time for Josie and Martin to go through the security gates.

'Are you looking forward to starting your new job Martin?', Screech asked.

'Of course. I long ago figured if I'm not good enough to be able to be a sporting pro, then I may as well sell equipment to people who are or at least to kids that still have the dream.'

'You don't play squash anymore either then?'

'No, I think Josie and I grew out of that habit around the same time. I did enjoy it in school, but not enough to be obsessed with it. And I was never going to be good enough to get a sports scholarship like Paul did.'

'Paul has an interview for a new job at a new gym in Las Vegas next week', Screech told them, remembering he had forgotten to tell them Paul's knews from when he got in late the night before.

They spent the rest of the time talking about sport and how it was through sport that they had all met and then it was time for a final goodbye as Josie and Martin's flight was called for boarding. They stood and waved them off, both Nicola and Josie in tears.

'Don't cry Mummy', said Joseph 'She did say she will be back to visit soon.'

'I know that Joseph. I'm just going to miss her lots.'

'But you still got me.'

'I know son, I love you', Nicola hugged Joseph close and then they made their way out of the airport and headed for home.

At home later that evening Nicola really began to feel it.

'Saturday nights just not the same without Josie rushing round ready to go and meet Martin or some friends. I keep expecting her to walk through the door any minute.

Just then the phone rang. It was Josie.

'Hi Mum, just to let you know we arrived safe and are settling in to our apartment. Mum , its really nice and its only ten minutes drive from the university. Martin and I are going to go out and buy a car tomorrow.'

'I'm glad you arrived safe Josie. Don't forget to text me on Monday and let me know how school went.'

'I will Mum , don't worry. I'm excited.'

'See you soon Josie.'

After Nicola put the phone down, Screech came back through from the kitchen, where he had been checking on the food he was cooking for them to have a late dinner.

'It smells lovely Sam, but I'm really not hungry.'

'Come on Nicola, you have to eat, keep your strength up for giving all those gruelling lectures next week. I hear you really keep those students on their toes.'

'Its my job.'

'You must be one tough professor.'

'Only in the lecture hall, you know me better than anyone Sam, I'm as soft as anything underneath, as I think today proved.'

'Well just try and eat some dinner. I've got something to cheer you up after. Lisa popped over to Bayside today with some photo's of the party.'

Nicola tried, but she really couldn't manage more than a few mouthfuls. All she kept wondering was how Josie was getting on finding her way round her new apartment.

The photo's of the party had all come out good, it had really been a fantastic night.

'I still can't believe Lisa finally let me be in one of her fashion shows.'

'And Sam you looked good.'

'Yeah, its sure as hell a long way from the geeky nerd that once roamed the halls of Bayside, oh hang on , I still do roam the halls of Bayside, its my school.'

'What would you do if Bayside suddenly wasn't there anymore?'

'I don't know Nicola. I guess I would be totally lost , why?'

'Because that's how I feel about Josie leaving home and moving away, totally lost', Nicola was looking at one of the photo's of Josie and Martin at the party.

'I wish I could make it better for you Nicola, I really do. At least its going to be a long time before Joseph leaves home.'

'I know that Sam, but she's my first born and its different with girls, she's my best friend too.'

'And she always will be Nicola , no matter where she goes or what she does, your never going to lose that.'

Screech spent the rest of the evening comforting Nicola and two weeks later, they found themselves saying goodbye again. This time they were saying goodbye to Paul, who had got the job he went for at the new gym in Las Vegas. Paul was going to drive down to Vegas. The gym he had taken a job in was attached to a hotel and they were providing him with a room until he got round to renting himself an apartment.

'Now remember Paul, your driving to Vegas, so no speeding and no short cuts.'

'Okay Dad, I think you've even told me that story one too many times', Paul smiled as he put his last bag in to the trunk of his car.

'Good luck Paul. I know your do brilliantly in your new job', Nicola kissed her stepson goodbye on the cheek. 'Joseph, you going to say goodbye to your big brother now?'

Paul picked Joseph up.

'When I'm settled your have to come and visit me in Vegas with Mum and Dad. We can have some fun together why they go and play the tables, you're a bit young for gambling yet.'

'Can we go to the circus and on some rides?'

'Sure', Paul promised his brother and then Nicola took Joseph back inside, leaving just Screech and Paul by his car.

'It's been nice having you home Paul, it really has. I'm proud of you , you know that, and remember, this is only the beginning of your career. You are good at what you do and you know it. I can even see you having your own gym one day, if that's what you decide you want to do.'

'We'll see Dad. For now, I'm just happy to be going back to doing what I love.'

Paul was about to get in to the car and then hesitated.

'You haven't changed your mind already have you Paul?'

'Of course not Dad. But I just wanted to say, thanks for everything. You're the best Dad and I love you.'

Paul hugged his Dad close. Paul didn't get emotional that often, but when he did, he really showed his true feelings.

'I love you Paul and remember I'm always here.'

'Thanks Dad. I guess I had better get going or they will think I'm not coming.'

'Bye Paul and like I said to Josie, we will be along to visit as soon as you get yourself settled.'

Screech waved his eldest son off and stood looking down the road long after Paul had turned the corner.

'Sam, you okay?', Nicola came back outside.

'I'll be fine. Now I know more how you felt a couple of weeks ago. This is so different from when he first went off to college. And I guess I didn't feel it when he started working in San Francisco because he was already there.'

'Sam , we've got an almost empty nest now, we will tackle it together and like Joseph said himself, we've still got him.'

'True. I know, lets take him out for a treat this afternoon. There is Chinese acrobats and trapeze artists on at the circus in the park. Why wait for a trip to Vegas to take him to the circus?'

'Sam, you know I don't believe in circus animals.'

'It's not that kind of circus Nicola, I checked it out. It is purely human performances.'

'I guess that would be okay then.'

Nicola went upstairs to tell Joseph who had gone back up to his room and was playing with his lego.

'Joseph, Daddy has decided to take us to see the acrobats and trapeze artists at the circus this afternoon, you know like the ones you see on the television.'

'Oh wow', Joseph was clearly excited.

Seeing Joseph so happy and excited put a smile back on both Screech and Nicola's face as they went out the door and prepared to spend a family afternoon together.


	29. Chapter 29

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Last Trip To The Hotel

At long last Jessie had Karen Pearson's divorce case all wrapped up. She had managed to get a settlement that was more than Karen had ever dreamed of. Karen now had enough money to buy a nice house for her and Stephanie and money to put aside. Karen kept trying to give Jessie some of it back for her services, but Jessie wouldn't hear of it.

'Jessie, you should let me pay you something. It' s not like its going to leave me short, especially now Lisa has offered me a job managing the gift store at _Berry's._

Karen had got her cheque book out and Jessie had made her it away again.

'Karen, its over and done with, please can we just let this be the end of it.'

'Okay', Karen had finally given in, or so Jessie had thought. Jessie had then got home to find a big bunch of flowers with a card from Karen, saying thanks again.

'They are beautiful', she told Slater 'But Karen shouldn't have done it and not only that we are leaving for Palm Springs in an hour. They will just wilt here all weekend and they are too beautiful for that.'

'We could give them to Mum and Dad, we could drop them off along the way.'

'That's an idea, it would be such a shame to let them die. They must have cost Karen a fortune.'

'But Karen probably thinks its nothing compared to the divorce settlement you got for her.'

'I've got another settlement to think about now. I can't believe this is the last time I'm going to be staying at the hotel.'

'You mean , your never going to go back, even after the chain takes over and rebuilds it.?'

'No, I won't. It won't be the same. Places never are. I want to keep the happy memories as they are.'

When they arrived at the hotel, Lesley was waiting to meet them with Callum. He did look young , but he was clearly in love with Lesley.

'Hi, Callum, this is Jessie, my stepdaughter, her husband Slater and their daughter Zoe.'

'Nice to meet you all. Lesley has told me so much about you.'

'All good I hope', Jessie laughed as Callum took their bags to their suite for them.

'Lesley said you always have this suite when you stay.'

'And I guess this will be the last time.'

'Lesley said she has made reservations for us in the hotel restaurant tonight. I got to get going, so I'll see you all later.'

Once Callum had shut the door behind him, Jessie spoke as she started to unpack her clothes for the long weekend, including her work suit, she had packed for Monday morning when she and Lesley would be meeting with the owners of the hotel chain.

'Slater, I want to take Zoe to Dad's grave this afternoon. I'll have to get some flowers from the gift shop first. You want to come with us?'

'Sure.'

The cemetery was only a short drive away and when they got there, Jessie walked straight over to where her Father's grave was. Jessie gave her Father's picture in its frame a clean. It was the one she and Lesley had picked out to put on the grave a long time ago.

'Sorry its been a while Dad', Jessie put the picture frame back down and laid down the fresh flowers. 'I brought Zoe back to see you. She's growing up fast, look. Zoe , this is where your Grandad is buried. I wish he could have met you. The thing is Zoe, I'm sure he knew you would come along one day, even before we did.'

There was a time when Jessie felt incredibly stupid talking to her Dad at his grave, but Slater did it with Janine all the time and she had seen many other people do it at loved ones graves and now she didn't feel stupid about it at all. It felt like she was really talking to him. The fact that he couldn't talk back or that she didn't know if he could hear her or not, didn't really matter. She liked to believe he could hear her though.

'Zoe, I brought you hear to show off to your Grandad when you were just a baby. You wouldn't remember that.'

After that , Slater took Zoe back to the car to let Jessie have a few minutes alone at her Father's grave.

'It looks like Lesley and I are going to be selling the hotel Dad. I hope you understand that we are doing the right thing. You wouldn't like it there now , its not like when you were alive. I still miss you Dad. I see a bit of you in Zoe. She's certainly got a laid back personality and I can assure you that's one trait she certainly doesn't get from Slater or I or Mum or Slater's parents, so she must have inherited that from you. Dad I got to go now. I'm sorry I don't visit that often, but I always think about you you know. I promise, I'll try and visit again soon.'

Slater and Zoe were sat on the bench in front of the cemetery gates when she came out.

'You okay?'

'I think so Slater. Now I just need to get back to the hotel and get this meeting arranged with Lesley for Monday morning. Brian Turner came up trumps again and found us a brilliant business lawyer. Hang on Slater, you've got a big smile on your face. Come on, what's happened, tell me?'

'Okay, I got a phone call just now from Dan Taylor. They finished filming _Unsung Hero_. As they say in the industry , it's a wrap. Dan's invited us to a private screening next weekend.'

'Slater, that's brilliant news, Zoe they finally finished the film they were making about your late Aunty.'

After Zoe was in bed in her room in the suite that night, Jessie and Slater discussed whether they should let Zoe see _Unsung Hero_ or not.

'It's getting parental guidance with a warning of an adult theme Dan said.'

'Zoe's an intelligent kid. I mean, we let her watch the news, she knows what goes on in the world. She asks us about stuff she sees on the news enough. I say we let her come and watch it with us.'

'Jessie, I'm just worried she won't understand some of it.'

'Look, all we have to say to her is that if there is anything she doesn't understand, she can ask us afterwards. Or is there something else?'

'You know what kids are like? What if she ends up wanting to be like Janine and wanting to go in the army or worse wanting to go an do volunteer work in a war zone when she grows up?'

'Slater, she is still in elementary school. Before she makes a career choice, she is going to go through all the usual kids dreams, she'll want to be an air hostess, a model, an actress, a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer and probably a lot of other things before she even gets to high school and really has to start to think about what she wants to do for real.'

'What about the violent scenes?'

'I thought Dan said there was only a couple. And Zoe knows there is good and evil in the world. Slater this is a chance to show Zoe what you have always wanted to, just how amazing Janine was and thanks to Dan, you can do that now.'

'Okay, we will take her with us to the private screening.'

Jessie didn't sleep well that night. She had the hotel on her mind and the fact that in less than forty-eight hours time , it would no longer be anything to do with her.

The meeting took place at nine the following morning and by eleven the papers were signged for a record amount the chain had ever paid for a hotel and the money was transferred and split between Jessie and Lesley's bank accounts.

When the owners of the chain said they were going to knock the place down and rebuild from scratch , Jessie felt a bit better about the whole thing. If the hotel was going, she would rather it went completely as she remembered it.

After it was all done, they spent the afternoon having a final splash about in the pool with Callum and Lesley.

'So Lesley, what are you and Callum going to do now you don't have this place to worry about?', Jessie asked them.

'We are not sure yet, except for take a long holiday, we were thinking of a world cruise maybe.'

'Very nice indeed.'

'I think I deserve it, all the hard work I have put in here over the years.'

'I'll say you do Lesley.'

Later on, they all ate in the restaurant together for the last time and then they went to sleep in what had been Jessie's Dad's hotel for the last time. Or rather Jessie tried to sleep, but once again she couldn't. She was going over all the happy memories she had of the place. And once again she found herself looking out at the golf course from the balcony, just like she had after her Father had died. So much had happened between then and now. She spotted a couple of die hard golfers going round the course, even though it was four in the morning.

'You Mrs Spano-Slater can be so predictable sometimes', Slater came up behind her and put his arms round her. 'When I woke up and saw you weren't there, I just knew you would be out here.'

'Just taking one final look before the bulldozers move in. It won't be long Slater, these big chains, they don't hang around. Slater , I had some of the money transferred straight away. We now totally own our house.'

'Jessie, that's great news.'

'I thought you would be pleased. I know how you worried about it, even though it was the profits from this place that always paid the small mortgage we had every month.'

'I just wish I could have helped put more towards it.'

'Slater, we've been through this too many times before, lets not go through it again.'

'I know, it's the male chauvinist pig in me rearing its ugly head again', Slater smiled and then kissed her on the cheek . 'I just had to say it before you did that time.'

Jessie even managed to laugh at that, it was so true.

Then for a while Jessie carried on looking out from the balcony, still reliving the many happy memories she had of times gone by at the hotel.

'Are you coming back to bed or are you going to stay out here the rest of the night or rather the rest of the morning? It's nearly five Jessie.'

'Okay, I get the hint, I'm coming back in now , I really should try and get some sleep.'

'Me too, Zoe will be coming through the door waking us up before we know it.'

A few hours later having had a little bit of sleep, Jessie took one last look around the suite and then closed the door on it and handed the key back to reception for the last time and then went to say goodbye to Lesley.

'I guess it's the end of an era.'

'Callum and I have been talking about opening up a small bed and breakfast when we get back from our cruise. When we do , you know your all be welcome to stop by at any time.'

'Of course, thanks Lesley. So when are the bulldozers moving in?'

'A weeks time, but the chain are giving the staff jobs in their other hotels in the area while this place is being rebuilt. So nobody is out of a job, which is something I am relieved about.'

'Me too', Jessie had hated the thought of any of the staff, some of which had been there many years, losing their jobs, they were grateful the chain that had taken over had assured them that would not happen. In fact, some of the staff, they had even able to been promote in to more senior positions at one of their larger hotels in the area.

As they got in to the car and Slater pulled away from the hotel, Jessie looked back long after the hotel had faded in to the distance, but the memories she would have forever. And when the did arrive home , she went through some pictures of the weekends she had stayed with her Dad at the hotel as a teenager and on occasions when she had been home from college.

'Hey Jessie, now I'm completely recovered, I think we should take a long haul holiday this summer' , Slater suggested a little while later. 'I've always wanted to take you to New Zealand, show you the places I lived when I was there. What do you think? My treat.'

'Slater, I would love too. I've always wanted to see New Zealand for myself. The pictures you have from the country are so pretty.'

'It's even more beautiful when you see it for real. I can't wait for you and Zoe to see it.'

'You sure your up to long haul travel?'

'Jessie, I already checked it out with my doctor, I'm perfectly fine and healthy now.'

'In that case, book the tickets.'


	30. Chapter 30

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Thirty

The Return of _Zack Attack_

The rest of the spring semester for the kids, the staff and their families at Bayside seemed to go fly by once again. Screech was busy with the kids finals and the final arrangements for Mr Beldings class reunion. And _Zack Attack_ had been rehearsing relentlessly every Friday night at Jessie and Slater's house. Even their kids knew all the words the songs they had been rehearsing now.

_Berry's _was going from strength to strength and Lisa knew she was going to have to expand the place soon. Zack had also known he had a difficult choice to make, he was either needed either full time at the resort or full time as a teacher, he knew he couldn't do both. In the end , it was his business mind that had won out, business was what he enjoyed most, just as long as it didn't involve number crunching like he had spent years bored silly doing at the bank. So he had made his decision and he was going to work for Lisa full time alongside Slater. The last day of school for the kids, would be his last day teaching at Bayside too. But first , the revived _Zack Attack_ had to get their perfomance perfected or Mr Beldings class.

'I hope the old chief appreciates the effort we have gone too to make this reunion special for them', said Screech as he took to his keyboard to practice once more, the night before, back in Jessie and Slater's vast living room.

'I can't believe we have to dress up sixties. I haven't had time to go to Mum and Dad's and raid their wardrobes. That's usually what I did for costume parties.'

'Screech, why don't you just hire one from the costume shop like everyone else is doing?', Nicola suggested.

'I'd have made the costumes, if I'd had the time', Lisa said apologetically.

'Lisa, we know you barely have time to breathe, you did just win fashion designer of the year again and business woman of the year. Oh and we mustn't forget Turtle College being voted one of the top five fashion graduate schools in the country.'

'Good point Darren. So what do you think of the sixties numbers? Do you think we have them down okay?'

'How would I know? I wasn't even born in the sixties and my parents brought me up on country and western music, but you guys do sound really good.'

'Thanks Darren, come on, lets get back to it'.

And then they broke in to a song that was close to all their hearts, a song that wasn't from the sixties, but was going to be the finale of the evening. It was _Friends forever_, the song Zack had written so long ago. Back then , he had had strange dreams about topping the charts with that song. Okay, so that had never happened, but he meant every word of that song as he sang it and the words just seemed more and more appropiate as the years went by, something he couldn't have known way back when he first wrote the song.

After they had finished rehearsing for the evening and the children had long fallen asleep on the sofa's listening to their parents music, they spoke about the current unexpected box office smash at the movies.

'_Unsung Hero_ is top of the box office sales for the second month running', Slater told them. 'Not only is the world finally seeing who Janine was and what she did, but Dan is donating half the proceeds and splitting them between the womens charity Janine volunteered for and a charity for families that have lost relatives in action in the forces.'

'Yes and even though we got to go to the private screening, we did take Zoe to see it again when it opened, after we explained some stuff to her from the first time round she had seen it. She understood it better the second time round and now she keeps telling all the kids at school they made a movie about her dead Aunty. That takes some explaining at the school gates I can tell you.'

The night of Mr Belding's class reunion soon came round. Nicola and Darren, although not part of the band, were going along anyway, seeing as they had been invited and they were going to keep an eye on the children, as Mr Belding had said to bring them along too, after all , it would be their school one day.

'I hope you kids are as good as I can remember', said Mr Belding, who was there really early with his wife Becky. 'We wanted to come early so we could greet all our old classmates.'

'You might be sorry about that when you hear us warming up. Just kidding chief', said Screech as he went back to preparing his keyboard on the stage.

In the end , so they all matched, they had all gone to the costume together and hired flower power costumes, complete with bell bottom flares to match.

'I still say the women should have worn mini-skirts, that's sixties', joked Zack.

'No way Zack. Women of a certain age do not wear mini-skirts, that's a big fashion no-no.'

'I know that Lisa, I was just kidding. You women all look as stunning as ever anyway, especially my lovely wife here', Zack kissed Kelly. 'Now, shall we tune up a bit more before the guests start to arrive.'

'Actually, I think we could do with one more amp',Screech said afterwards. 'I know we have one down in the boiler room.'

'Oh that's okay Screech, Jessie and I will go', Slater volunteered before anyone else could and was followed out the door by Jessie.

'It's okay guys, don't panic, they can't get locked in. The boiler room door has a two way lock on it now',Screech told them and they all looked relieved.

Unlike the ladder they had been searching for many years before, they found the old amp straight away.

'This looks really old, probably used to get used even before we went to school here.'

'I'm sure it will be fine Jessie, music equipment like that can last for decades.'

They had to move a few boxes to make a clar way to move the amp, but then Slater told Jessie to put the amp back down on the floor for a minute.

'Slater you okay?'

'Actually, better than ever Jessie, I've got a confession to make. Screech doesn't want that amp at all. He was helping me out, it was a set up. I wanted to get you down here again.'

'Why?'

'Well', Slater put his arms round her and looked in to her eyes 'There is a school reunion about to take place upstairs, I thought, that before all that happens, maybe we could relive a few memories of our own.'

Then , he leaned in to kiss her. When they broke apart afterwards, Jessie looked him back in the eyes. 'That works for me, such a shame we can't get locked in here now', Jessie kissed him again that time and for a few short minutes, it was like when they had gone back in time and were eighteen again.

Then they came back to the present and made their way back up to the gym ready to perform for Mr Beldings class reunion.

'Okay, so you didn't have to ask where we were and we already got the happy ending, but we just had to relive the memory', Slater grinned and let go of Jessie's hand and took his seat at the drums as the band got ready to welcome back the class of 1968.

They had worked hard to find as many different songs from the era that they had only ever heard of and seen pictures of, but eventually they had perfected a mix of rock and roll numbers and some sixties ballads as well as a couple of the bands own songs that Zack had wrote in the nineties, long after the class of 1968 had left Bayside. The class of 1968 were certainly having a good time and so were the children of the band members, dancing out there with Darren and Nicola.

'I just knew my kids would throw us a good reunion party, this is the best ever', Mr Belding told Nicola as he helped himself to more punch.

During the bands break, Zack had also decided it was time to relive a few memories of their own and took Kelly to sit on the benches outside the gym.

'Remember when we had a prom picnic here?'

'How could I forget Zack? That was one of the most romantic things you ever done for me.'

'Remember when we were last sat here in costumes together?'

'Of course Zack. That was the night I finished with you because I thought I was in love with Jeff. God , I was so stupid back then.'

'Well lets forget about that now and concentrate on the happy stuff. Remember what I said to you on that first prom night when we had the picnic out here?'

'We're together , that's enough', Kelly remembered those words as if it were yesterday.

'Kelly, that's exactly how I feel tonight, all these years on, we're together and we always will be, that's all that matters.'

And then it was Zack and Kelly's turn to briefly go back in time as they kissed, remembering that very first prom night when she hadn't even been able to afford to go to the prom.

And this time, they were both dressed in costumes, but there were no tears as they went back inside to sing last songs of the evening together. They sang the sixties version of the school song especially for Mr Belding and then they sang the school song they had written themselves as seniors.

'And I bet you all thought that was the end of the evening', said Zack 'Sorry, you were wrong. We have one more surprise song for you. This is a song I wrote many years ago, but has never been performed here at Bayside, or anywhere else public before. It means a lot to all of us here on the stage and I hope you all go away tonight with it meaning a lot to you too. This is _Friends Forever._

They performed the song better than they ever had before and the applause they got at the end was deafening. They were just about to do an encore when Zack noticed Tim Harris come in to the gym and got down from the stage to go and talk to him.

'Tim, what are you doing here?'

'I knew you would be here. I came to thank you. You see Mr Morris, I know your leaving and I'm graduating next week. And if you hadn't taught me the way you did, I wouldn't be graduating. And I got in to college too. Thanks sir'.

'Good luck Tim', Zack felt his work at Bayside was finally done.

'And good luck with your new job sir.'

'Thanks Tim.'

After they waved off the last of the class of 1968 from the gym, Screech had another idea.

'Why don't we all go and sit on the stairs by the lockers like we used to', Screech picked up Joseph, who like the rest of the kids was still wide awake rom the excitement of the evening.

'Hey girls, this will be your school one day' , Lisa told Crystal and Zoe.

'I want that locker there', said Crystal, pointing at one of the lockers.

'Wise choice', said Zack 'That's my old locker.'

'I'll reserve it for you now Crystal',Screech played along.

The children soon got bored of their parents talking about what they called the olden days and fell asleep on their respective parents laps, though their parents were still reluctant to leave for home.

'Guys, as much as I've enjoyed this trip down memory lane, if we sit here much longer, we will still be here when the kids come in Monday morning', Jessie pointed out, but she still didn't make any effort to move, although she was getting sleepy herself.

'Come on, before I have to carry you to the car as well as Zoe', Slater got up with Zoe and Jessie reluctantly stood up too.

'I guess this place is always going to be special to all of us. See you all in the week before we go on holiday okay.'

Zack and Kelly also reluctantly got up to leave next, but Travis was still trying to stay awake.

'You must be tired Travis, everyone else is'.

'I'm not', he insisted, but then he fell asleep just like that in Zack's arms.

'Hopefully that means he will let you and I get some sleep now. I'm wiped.'

'You and me both, but it was a good night', Kelly kissed Zack on the cheek while they stood and waited for their cab home.

Lisa and Darren had finally called their driver, but before they left the halls of Bayside with Crystal, Lisa couldn't help but take a look and see if her fashion secrets were still taped to the back of her old locker. They were. Fashion tips from the nineties weren't really much use to todays teenager, but she didn't have the heart to remove them. And besides, who knew, one day, there might be a nineties fashion revival, there had been one for every decade before it after all.

Screech and Nicola were the last to leave with Joseph.

'The class of 1968 certainly had a good time and do you know what , so did I', said Screech , who hadn't had a drink and opened the car doors for Joseph and Nicola.

'I had a wonderful time Screech, it was nice of your old principal to invite me.'

'Hey, the chief knows that you, Joseph and I come as a package and you are the Mother of his future daughter in-law.'

On Monday, the final week of the school year would begin and Bayside would be back to the noisy place he loved, but right now he felt he had just had the best night he had ever had at Bayside, as a student, teacher or principal. And , he was sure , the way they had all been so reluctant to leave, his friends felt the same way too.

A/N Thanks again to Sunrise19 who gave me so many ideas for the second season, that it allowed me to write this third one. And to SBTB lover for all the Zack/Kelly inspiration from the fantastic songfics. And again, thanks for all the reviews, they really kept me going with this.


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